With and Without
by life-sans-sin
Summary: I'm no longer going to be posting updates on here since the amount of activity and feedback I get here is significantly less compared to what I get on AO3. You can find this fic on ArchiveOfOurOwn here- (archiveofourown . org/works/6387460/chapters/14627251) And, as usual, you can find it on my Tumblr- (life-sans-sin . tumblr . com)
1. Benevolent Beginnings

[[ Brit again, with the first chapter. I introduce the "OC" in this one, and I worked hard to make her likeable and not a total Mary Sue... Time will only tell if I get that right. It's not a self-insert, either, so, yay! Enjoy! And let me know what you think, please? Pretty please? And pass it along if you think it's good enough to recommend. Comments give me life! Thanks again!]]

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"Hey, Lena, could you take this stack of papers to Kathleen? These are her kids' math tests from yesterday afternoon." The voice of a colleague caught the attention of a woman sitting at a cheaply-assembled desk in a black swivel chair, spinning on its axis and turning to glance up at the person over their glasses. Lena was the newest (and youngest) employee of Tristin Elementary School, a fact that her fellow co-workers made evident by their willingness to pass their tasks and assignments off to her. She would have smiled and nodded if the papers hadn't already been shoved into her unready hands, slipping and falling into her lap as she scrambled to collect them. With a small huff she carefully got them all put back into order, making sure they were all correctly facing.

"Yeah, sure," she sighed, turning back to her desk and setting the small stack of papers next to the keyboard, hand gravitating to the mouse as she clicked it idly. "Lemme just finish up grading these online reports and I'll take them right to her." Seemingly satisfied with her answer, her colleague turned and walked out of the faculty room, closing the door a bit too loudly behind them. Now alone, Lena sighed heavily, shoving the mouse across the little ivy-print pad and tapping her fingernails against the papers. The one on top happened to catch her eye and, feeling a bit guilty for it, she picked it up and looked it over closely. The name "Frisk Dreemurr" was written across the top in careful print with a little heart drawn next to it, and the innocence of it brought a smile to her lips. It quickly faded, however, when her eyes caught unfamiliar handwriting. The spaces where some of the answers were had been hastily rubbed out with an eraser (not very cleanly done, either, for that matter) and blatantly incorrect answers were put in their place. _'Who would change this kid's answers like this? Damn kids…'_ Furrowing her brows, she pushed herself up from her chair, hearing it spin and glide on its wheels across the tile floor as she strode out of the faculty room and down the hallway, intent on having a discussion with Frisk's teacher.

When she reached the right room (with Mrs. Kathleen written on a big, sunny sign overtop of the door, surrounded by kids' handprints), she peeked into the room. The teacher, a thin, pretty blonde with razor-straight hair that brushed past her hips, was sitting at the window, looking out at the playground with an odd smile curling up at her cherry-painted lips. Cleaning her throat, Lena stepped into the room, holding the papers to her chest. The other woman's baby-blue eyes darted over to her, roaming up and down for a fraction of a second, and Lena suddenly remembered why she didn't much care for this woman. The judgemental stares had started right from their first meeting, followed not to terribly far behind by questions about her diet.

" _Lena, honey… Don't you think you should take it easy on the carbs?" Kathleen asked, eyeing her tray with an ill-concealed hint of disgust. Lena had flushed in shame and looked down at her food as well, furrowing her brows as she tried to decipher just what was wrong with her meal. "You should join Samantha and I at the gym this weekend! Signing up doesn't take much." She wasn't certain if it was the insults to her diet, or the obvious assumption that she didn't exercise that had pissed her off, but she was. She spent the entire rest of that day in the Library, snacking when the cranky, elderly Librarian wasn't looking and toiling over the limited resources on Monster History._

"Ahh, Lena. I didn't hear you walk in," the blonde said, smiling in a sickeningly sweet way that made it obvious it was forced. Lena furrowed her brows a bit and walked over to her, dropping all but one of the papers on her desk. She held Frisk's out to her, frowning the slightest bit.

"Are you aware that your students are vandalizing Frisk's assignments?" Her green eyes flickered across the other woman's face, trying to read her expression. From the uneasy chuckle, it seemed she had.

"Frisk has been having trouble in class lately… He draws too much attention, you know? And he refuses having an assistant in class. It's really just trouble-" The instant those words left her mouth, anger flared in green eyes, and blue widened just a fraction as she realized her mistake. "I mean, trouble for Frisk! Really, he struggles so much… Maybe it's because of his homelife." Lena could hear the words behind those being spoken. _'Because he was adopted by monsters.'_ Frown deepening, Lena opened her mouth to say something when a shrill ring of a phone broke the uneasy silence. Kathleen practically jumped to her desk to answer it. "Yes! Hello? ...What? No, I didn't hold Frisk after class… I have no idea. I'll let you know if I find anything out. I'm sure he's just wandering around the school somewhere."

She only got one side of the conversation, but Lena could tell pretty easily what it was about. A heavy wad of worry fell into the pit of her stomach and she gnawed her bottom lip, thick brows furrowing over the thin rims of her glasses. If Frisk's parents had called the school looking for him, that meant that he hadn't gotten onto the bus. He lived outside of Tristin, so he wasn't able to walk. _'Maybe he missed the bus…?'_ Though it had nothing to do with her, she couldn't help but feel the urge to go and try to find them. Besides, it was obvious from the way Kathleen hung up her phone and started scrolling through something on her smartphone that she wasn't all that concerned. With a huff, she folded the vandalized test and shoved it into her jeans pocket, turning on her heel and storming out of the room, anger burning through her veins. _'How can she call herself a teacher and not care about her student?!'_ It wasn't all that surprising, or it shouldn't have been, considering she remembered hearing all the chatter about the Ambassador of Monsters attending their school. After the monster children were able to move to the 'school' in Taobh, Frisk was left all alone. She wasn't a teacher (yet), but even she's heard some of the things that the fellow students say about the child.

She walked down every corridor and hallway, opened every door and looked through every room. Feeling only slightly embarrassed, she even checked every single bathroom (female _and_ male) but to no avail. The Library had been empty, just like most of the building. With winter vacation beginning the following day, many people were eager to get out of work and head home to start their weeks of relaxation. That's also why Lena found herself still there, dealing with little menial tasks that other people didn't feel like finishing before they left. Eventually, she found herself back in the faculty room, pulling on her coat and hastily grabbing her purse before heading outdoors. The icy sting of winter air bit at her pale skin, and she huffed with a shiver, watching her breath form in a small cloud in front of her face before disappearing into thin air. Her eyes roamed over the school grounds, looking for what, she wasn't certain. Frisk could have already been picked up by their parents, for all she knew, or maybe a family friend came to get them and just forgot to tell the school ahead of time. Still, she didn't feel satisfied yet, so she found herself stomping across the snow blanketing the dead grass and wilted flowers, verdant eyes scanning relentlessly.

After a half an hour, she'd made her way back to the front of the building, where she saw the old head of the janitorial department locking the doors. Everyone was gone now, and as the elderly man drove off in his sloppy jalopy, the only thing she could hear was her breathing and the white-noise of the wind blowing through the trees. Even her footsteps seem muffled, with only the faintest crunch of snow beneath your (now soggy) shoes coming with each step. Turning and huffing a small sign, Lena pulled her hands from the safety of her pockets and blew her warm breath onto them, trying to keep her fingertips from going numb. _'They must have gotten picked up already…'_ she told herself, returning her hands to her warm coat pockets and turning to head to her car.

That was when she heard it: a faint whimper. Her head whirled around toward the noise so fast that she smacked herself in the face with one of her ginger-red pigtails, and her eyes widened impossibly as she finally found them. There, huddled beneath an evergreen bush close to the school's main brick building in a striped sweater, was a small child. Lena quickly made her way over to him, dropping to her knees in the snow and reaching a hand under the prickly bush to rest on the child's shoulder. "Frisk…?" The name made them look up, and she felt her heart throb the way their eyes looked so red, like they'd been rubbed raw from crying. A look of apprehension and uncertainty was painted thickly across their features, but she gave a patient smile, thumb rubbing small circles into the fabric covering their arm. "It's okay, kiddo," she said softly, almost missing the flash of familiarity that passes over their eyes, "Your mom called looking for you… I bet she's real worried." A moment passed and the child still said nothing, so she pulled her hand out and motioned with it. "Here, c'mon out. Let's get you home, huh?"

It took some careful convincing, but eventually Frisk did come out from their hiding place, body wracked with tremors as their muscles shuddered with desperate attempts to gain warmth. No sound came from them aside from their haggard breathing and sniffling. The poor thing's nose was running so badly. _'One thing at a time.'_ Reaching forward and gently grasping the child's hand, Lena gave a small pull until, eventually, they were following her to the parking lot. Their legs shook with each step, and they almost fell once or twice, so she had to steady them by placing her hands on their shoulders. She fumbled with her keys for a moment as her numb fingers struggled to find the right one, but as soon as she got it unlocked, she gently urged Frisk inside the little olive-green SUV. Following into her own seat, she immediately started the car and turned on the heat until it was blasting from the vents on the highest setting. It was cold initially but, after a few seconds, began to warm up comfortably. A shiver ran through her and she raised her hands to cup over her mouth, blowing on them. "Cold out, hu?" An answer hadn't been expected, so it didn't hurt her feelings when one never came.

"Okay, now… I know this may sound strange, but-" She paused, struggling only slightly to pull off her jacket while in the confined space. "Take off your wet shirt and put this on. We don't want you getting hypothermia…" She held the coat out and turned herself around completely, closing her eyes. "I have my eyes closed," she mumbled gently, patiently waiting. At first she couldn't hear anything, but after a moment, the wet _'slop'_ of his shirt hitting the floorboards met her ears, and she felt the coat being taken off her arm. Once she heard the zipper, she turned around cautiously, feeling her lips curl up into a pleased smile as she watched Frisk nuzzle into the warmth of her coat. Looking at him now, she wouldn't believe that he's anything more than an ordinary child. She knew, though, that certainly wasn't the case.

"Alright, buckle up, kiddo! We're headed to Taobh, right?" With a nod of assent, she started the short drive to the 'Town of Monsters'.


	2. Chapter 2

[[ _Alrighty, Brit here again, with Chapter Two! Dun-da-da-DAAAA! Jamie's been super supportive of me doing this, so I felt like I needed to get these all properly edited._  
 _If you notice I slip between referring to Lena as 'her' and 'you', PLEASE, for the LOVE of GOD, let me know so that I can fix it. I try to keep that shit straight, but it just... Slips... ;w; Anyway, enjoy!_ ]]

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She figured that trying to receive directions from someone who couldn't speak would be more difficult. As it turns out, Frisk was used to communicating with people who didn't know sign language, and they'd wordlessly worked out a system of directing that ended with her little SUV pulling to a stop in front of what looked like a small condo complex. They even had little beautiful balconies set up with patio furniture, she noted with only a slight hint of jealousy. But that was only because she had less of an apartment and more of a rented room in someone else's place… Wow, that was kind of disheartening to think about, huh? Shaking her head, she turned the key gently to shut off the engine, and she bit back a huff of laughter as Frisk began scrambling to open the door.

"Ah, sorry! Hang on!" She hit the small button on the driver's side door, hearing the small _thunk_ of the locks dropping, and suddenly there was cold air rushing into the car as the child flung themselves out of the vehicle and toward the front door. They slipped on a patch of ice on the sidewalk, and Lena threw her door open and rushed forward just in time to grab their small wrist. "W-woah, slow down, kiddo!" She helped them right themselves and followed (albeit at a slower pace) to the front door. Their small hands shook and jerked at the doorknob, and they shoved themselves at the door, forcing it open and revealing a neatly decorated living room. What looked like a female goat monster had whirled toward the door and, upon seeing the child, had the most relieved smile come across her features.

"Oh, my child-" Frisk interrupted her words as they bolted forward, wet shoes slipping against the hardwoods slightly, and he threw himself at her. Her arms immediately circled around him, claws gently brushing through his mussed brown bob of hair, and she began shushing him. The fur beneath her eyes looked wet, as though she'd just been crying, and Lena suddenly found herself feeling very glad that she hadn't given up in her search. The heartwarming sight made her feel a little teary herself, and she'd been so swept up in it that she hadn't realized the other pairs of eyes on the child.

"HUMAN, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? HER MAJESTY HAS BEEN SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" The voice was loud, not like he was yelling, but like his voice was one that just naturally carried itself well, and Lena tried to keep herself from flinching from its suddenness. That was when she finally took notice to the others in the room and, though she wasn't one who was afraid of monsters, she certainly found herself feeling a little caught off-guard. The person who'd just spoken was a skeleton. A very, very tall skeleton… wearing what looked like a pair of hot pants and a too-small t-shirt that had "cool guy" written across it in big, bold letters. It was fairly ridiculous, and the first thing that crossed her mind was how cold he must've been outside… before she realized that _that_ was a ridiculous thought. He was a skeleton, but he was a 'monster' skeleton, so surely there had to be some differences-

"Geez, Nerd, don't scare us like that! Papyrus was bawling he was so worried!" That voice was definitely loud, and though it was said so forcefully, there didn't seem to be any real anger behind the words. A woman with blue scaled skin and red hair pulled back into a high ponytail came up next to the queen, punching the towering skeleton's shoulder (Lena winced as she imagined how much that would've hurt), only for him to whine at her.

"Undyne, I was not crying! I… simply had something in my eye!" he protested, folding his arms childishly across his chest as his expression turned to a petulant pout. She tried not to think too much about how a skull could manifest expressions.

"So you're the one who brought the kid home."

Lena found herself stumbling backwards a bit, startled by the sudden appearance of another monster right in front of her. It was another, although far shorter, skeleton, and it wasn't that, but the inky blackness of his eyesockets that startled her. Not a bit of light resided in them, and though he was smiling, it was tense, and, in a way, intimidating. Now the attention was on her, and she suddenly wished she'd just dropped Frisk off and left… but, no, that wouldn't have been right. Swallowing down her anxiety, she nodded, and the shorter skeleton opened his mouth, but was suddenly bowled over as a flash of white fur grabbed her. The goat-monster held her and Frisk, one in each arm, and hugged you, and it was so motherly and protective that she couldn't help her smile. Even if she was being hugged by a stranger (who wasn't really a stranger).

"Is it true? Were you the one who brought home my Frisk?" Her voice was soft, surprisingly so for how large she was herself, and Lena nodded, not quite trusting her voice to answer. She was really quite amazed she was picked up so easily… usually people were intimidated by her size, being a, uh… 'bigger person'... But maybe monsters wouldn't consider it that strange, she realized.

It was also then that she realized that she was being embraced by the Queen of the Underground.

"Ah, um, Your M-Majesty-" she started, head reeling as she was suddenly (but carefully) put down, and the Queen had the grace to look a little embarrassed at her behavior, white cheeks stained a gentle pink.

"Oh, my apologies, my child… I was just so happy to have Frisk returned to me, I-... Please, excuse me," she said gently, and Lena shook her head, holding her hands up between them and opening her mouth to speak, but she didn't have a chance to get words out. "Please, won't you have a seat? I'll make us some tea." There was a question in there, but the way she set Frisk down and was already bustling toward the kitchen made it feel like there wasn't any other answer besides 'yes'. Frisk, as soon as their feet touched the ground, threw themselves at the smaller skeleton, who caught him easily, spinning on his heel a few times to whirl the human child through the air. Breathless giggles that sounded little more than quiet wheezing escaped him, and Lena found herself smiling at them fondly. She really couldn't understand what people had against them… monsters in general, and Frisk. Things like this made her feel all the more determined to do her part to make up for the negativity humanity had shown them.

"HUMAN!" Nearly jumping out of her skin from the suddenness of the voice, Lena whirled her head around to suddenly find herself face to face- er, more like face to sternum with the towering skeleton, and her eyes flicked upward toward his face. "ARE YOU TRULY THE ONE WHO RETURNED FRISK? HOW DID YOU FIND HIM? DID YOU SET A PUZZLE OUT TO TRAP HIM? DID YOU TEMPT HIM WITH SPAGHETTI?" The barrage of questions left her feeling a little off-kilter, and she laughed nervously. _'Why spaghetti…?'_

"Ah… I found him, no puzzles, or spaghetti, necessary." The words seemed to inspire him, because he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her over toward the couch, and… wow, he was strong. She could've held still and she'd still be moving just as easily, with her shoes sliding across the floor. Then she found herself sitting on a plush sofa, her hands grasped between the gloved hands of the skeleton.

"NO PUZZLES? TRULY? HOW ON EARTH DID YOU MANAGE SUCH A FEAT? CERTAINLY YOU ARE A GREAT CAPTOR. NOT AS MUCH SO AS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, OF COURSE, BUT WORTHY OF RESPECT NONETHELESS!" Lena chuckled at his confidence, unable to help but being endeared by the simplicity of his statements. A blue arm suddenly appeared, wrapping around the skeleton who was supposedly named Papyrus' neck, pulling him backward. The scaley… fish-woman?... was pulling him into a headlock, sending a toothy grin her way.

"Papyrus is a handful-" she began, ignoring the protests from Papyrus, and held out her free hand toward her. "But seriously, thanks. Toriel was worried sick when he didn't catch the bus… Oh, I'm friends of the kid. Name's Undyne!" At his mention, Lena let her eyes wander across the room until she saw Frisk again, still in the smaller skeleton's hold, who was now looking him over and frowning. She turned back and quickly took the extended hand, not as surprised as she probably should have been at how hard the handshake was.

"Yes, please, tell us how you found him! I am so grateful to you for bringing him home." Toriel was bustling back into the living room holding a tray, which she sat on the coffee table in the center of the room. On it were little ornate cups of tea with spoons resting on their saucers, and plates of what looked like some type of pie. The scent of cinnamon and butterscotch met Lena's nose and her stomach grumbled a bit. "Oh, where are my manners…" The queen quietly admonished herself, holding out a cup and saucer to the human, who took it gently. "My name is Toriel. This is Papyrus and Undyne," she said, motioning towards those she was introducing, then pausing. "And this is-"

"Sans."

Once again, the shorter skeleton had snuck up on her, and she jumped a bit, tea sloshing out of the cup and falling onto the saucer. Toriel scolded him and he chuckled, shrugging slightly and shoving his hands into the pockets of his parka.

"What, _ninja_ not expect me or somethin'? Heh… Sorry kid, I tend to make myself _scare_ -ce." Papyrus groans and scowls at him, while the queen stifles a small giggle. Lena raises a brow at him faintly, snorting a laugh, and she feels somewhat relieved when he seems to smile a bit at her reaction. "So care to tell us how you found the kid?" he asks, and she suddenly noticed that all eyes were on her. Frisk tugs on the zipper of their borrowed coat, face flushed as it was far too warm inside to be wearing it, and Lena's eyes widen slightly as she spies a bruise, just over their sternum. Frowning, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out the wrinkled, folded paper, unfolding it carefully and setting it on the coffee table, next to the tray of sweets.

"I was asked to take a stack of tests to Frisk's teacher, and, well… This is what I found." Toriel picks it up carefully and looks it over, frowning as she notices instantly, and Papyrus and Undyne both lean around her trying to see as well. "I kept it because I wanted to make you aware… if you weren't already." Sans, walking around the sofa and peering over the queen's shoulder, suddenly frowned, looking over her distrustfully.

"How'd you get this?"

"I'm a teacher-in-training at Tristin Elementary." Her easy response seemed to catch him slightly off-guard, as if startled she wasn't more intimidated or defensive. "I was asked to take a stack of tests to Frisk's teacher," she repeated, green eyes flickering to Frisk for a moment before settling back on Toriel's face. "She didn't sound very concerned about it, so I thought the right thing to do would be to bring it to his mother." Being referred to that way made a bit of pride swell in the woman's eyes, giving a bit of a sad smile. _'His mother, who is the cause of this mess…'_ Toriel thought to herself, quickly shaking the thought as Papyrus piped up from behind her.

"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PAPER, BROTHER?" he asked, turning to Sans, who lazily pointed to it.

"Y'see how these are written different?" Squinting his eyesockets slightly, Papyrus nodded. "Well, that's 'cus someone else wrote them, bro." He seemed even more confused by this, but Undyne stiffened, hands clenching into fists and something just short of a snarl tore from her lips.

"So people're puttin' in the wrong answers on Frisk's tests on purpose!?" This explanation seemed to be enough, and the taller skeleton glanced over at Frisk, whose head seemed to be hanging in shame. Lena didn't hesitate in the slightest to reach over and pat their head, smiling calmly down at them as they looked up questioningly. "So how'd you find Frisk?" Undyne suddenly asked, arms folded across her fit chest and glaring at Lena, who only gulped a little. Frowning, she thought over her words carefully, hurrying only when she noticed Undyne and Papyrus beginning to fidget impatiently.

"Well, ah… When I went to confront Mrs.- ...his teacher…" she paused, correcting herself and leaving out her co-worker's name… just in case. "She got a phone call from the front office, saying that Frisk hadn't gotten home. So I just kinda went looking until I found him…" Frisk suddenly leaned against her side, fingers curling around the sleeve of her sweater and tugging, eyes looking up to her shaking their head. _'Does Frisk not want me to tell them anymore…?'_ Sans seemed to notice this and exhaled a hiss of air from between his teeth, frowning down at the child, who only turned their head away, resting their forehead against her shoulder. "They… have been having trouble, or that's what his teacher mentioned. I'm just glad that the break is here," she said carefully, feeling Frisk's fingers tighten their hold.

"Hey, Paps, why not take the kid and go come up with battle strategies? You too, Undyne." Sans' sudden statement made both the child and Papyrus look up at him, the tall skeleton's face splitting into an enormous grin.

"OF COURSE! COME, HUMAN FRISK, LET US PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" He stepped effortlessly over the couch Toriel was seated on and scooped the child up into his arms, giving a battle cry as they whisked the now breathlessly giggling Frisk to their room. Undyne seemed a bit more reluctant to follow, but a glance from Sans made her roll her eyes (or eye, since the other was hidden behind an eye patch) and she followed, shouting something about spears and princesses. Lena couldn't help but smile at how endearing the whole exchange was, but her attention was quickly recaptured as Sans plopped himself down onto the loveseat next to her, making her bounce subtly in her seat from the action.

"So. This teacher…. What's their name?"

"Sans," Toriel said quietly, frowning over at him, and he simply shrugged his shoulders carelessly. She sighed. "I… We have been aware of it for quite some time, though Frisk does not tell us anything about it… They are a strong child, but they do not fight back." This statement seemed to make Sans remember something, because his expression suddenly turned more somber. "I am…" Another sigh. "I have been trying to fight for them to be able to attend the school here, but-"

"I know," the human interrupted, wincing slightly at the Queen's surprised expression. "I mean, I'm training to be a teacher, and the only way to do that is to train at a human school, but… to be honest, I've been hopeful that, when the time comes that you're given permission to teach both monsters and humans, I could work at your school." There is a bit of silence, and she noticed that both monsters left in the room were staring at her, and she cleared her throat, reaching for her tea cup and taking a sip. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." This seemed to snap Toriel out of her reverie, and she shook her head, long ears flopping side to side slightly.

"Oh no, child, do not apologize. I am just… I was merely surprised. There are not nearly as many humans who are so…" She seemed to be having trouble finding the words, so Sans cocked his head in Lena's direction, grinning easily.

"Not too many outwardly kind humans. Not that we've met, anyway." Lena frowned at this, and he cocked a brow bone in question.

"I wonder what you must think of me, belonging to the same race as those who bully Frisk…"

"The kid's a good judge of character. If he digs ya, then you're not all that bad," he said simply, chuckling when Toriel quietly admonished him, though she was smiling. Then she reached across the coffee table and grasped Lena's hands in her own soft, warm ones, and Lena couldn't help but feel small when she held hers as easily as she'd hold a child's.

"Thank you… Oh. Oh dear heavens, I-I haven't even gotten your name! How horrid my manners are, I apologize!" She couldn't help but laugh at the Queen's momentary panic, shaking her head.

"It's okay, there were more pressing matters. My name is Leannán. Leannán O'Brennike. It's nice to meet you Toriel, Sans." The skeleton next to her huffed a small laugh and pushed himself up, hands immediately going inside his pockets. "Well I should probably get going…" she said quietly, glancing around before slowly getting to her feet. One of her wet shoes accidentally slid across the hardwood floors, squeaking loudly and sending her to practically hip-check Sans. He stiffened, stumbling slightly and whirling around to look at her sheepish expression. "Ah… s-sorry about that." Sans shrugged his shoulders, though his brows seemed to furrow slightly.

"What, got a _bone_ to pick with me, kiddo?" he asked, the question sounding playful enough, but the distrustful stare he gave her made her frown slightly.

"You could say that, I guess, but wouldn't that make you a _hip_ ocrite?" Her pun sent Toriel into a small series of amused giggles that she politely hid behind her hand, eyes flickering between the human and skeleton curiously. Sans just stared, eyesockets widened slightly and his mouth turning upward into a grin. "Well, it was nice meeting you all…" Lena stood there fidgeting for a moment, wondering exactly what she was supposed to say in a situation like this. They were just short of strangers, but she found herself genuinely liking Toriel and the others, even if she knew little about them. The Queen seemed to be having similar troubles, until she smiled brightly, standing as well and clasping their hands together.

"Yes, it was very nice. Frisk seems to like you very much, Lena. Perhaps… you could come over for dinner tomorrow night?" The invitation startled her, and Toriel pressed forward. "Actually, I insist! I must properly thank the one who brought home my dear child!" Before Lena could even open her mouth to protest, she found herself being led to the front door, and a pair of large, warm arms enveloped her again. "Thank you… so much, my child. My appreciation is unbound. If my Frisk were to get lost, I…" She felt the arms around her tremble the slightest bit, and she returned the embrace, patting the larger woman on the back and smiling.

"I just did what any decent person would do." With that, she excused herself and waved goodbye, stepping carefully out into the wintery cold and headed home.


	3. Chapter 3

[[ _Hey guys! Brit here! Incoming, shameless self-insert in this chapter, but it's a minor role that might only pop up once or twice. Promise. Anyway, this is chapter three! I've been on a roll writing lately, and even though only one person has read so far (to my knowledge), just in case anyone else does, I wanna go ahead and say this:_  
 _Thank you, really. It means a lot that people want to read my stuff. And huge thanks to my bro, Jamie, for being so supportive and excited to read every new chapter I post. Love you, man!_ ]]

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"You sure about this, Tori?"

The Queen turned from the front door she'd just finished closing and securing to look at Sans, who had an indiscernible look on his face. She sighed, looking down at her hands as she clasped them together tightly, nervously, thumbs brushing against her soft fur. "I am hopeful," was all she said, and she could hear the skeleton sigh from behind her, falling back onto the sofa heavily. "I know that you do not think very highly of humans, Sans, but… but perhaps this time will be different." He scoffed, and she turned to give him a look, to which he shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno, Tori, just sayin'. Wishful thinkin' can only get ya so far." The sound of a door opening down the hallway pulled their attention from the rather heavy conversation, and they both put on smiles as they saw Papyrus re-entering the living room, with Frisk sat on his shoulders.

"HUMAN FRISK HAS MADE A GIFT FOR THE HUMAN WHO RESCUED HIM!" He announced loudly, giving a hearty "nyeh" as Frisk held a piece of paper out proudly. Their eyes searched across the room and, when they did not see Lena, they frowned, signing quickly. "HMM? YES, WHERE IS THE HUMAN?"

"Ah, she had to head home…" Toriel said softly, and both she and Sans were surprised by the sudden melancholic expression the child wore on their face. She recovered quickly. "But do not fret, my child! She will be joining us for dinner tomorrow evening. Would you like that?" The question was unnecessary, as Frisk began to kick their legs and sign excitedly, practically bouncing on the massive skeleton's shoulders. Toriel couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"THEN PERHAPS I, TOO, SHALL MAKE SOMETHING TO GIVE THE HUMAN! DO YOU THINK SHE LIKES SPAGHETTI ART?" Sans raised a browbone at this and chuckled, shrugging his shoulders lazily. "I SHALL MAKE HER THE BEST MACARONI MASTERPIECE THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN! HUMAN FRISK, WILL YOU ASSIST ME?" Frisk nodded eagerly, squirming and pointing back towards their room. "NYEHEHE! THEN LET'S GO! BROTHER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP?"

"Nah, bro, I think I'm gonna take a nap here until you're ready to go," Sans yawned, stretching out his legs and propping his slipper-clad feet up onto the couch cushions. His younger brother sighed, mumbling something about 'lazybones' before taking the excited Frisk back to their room. Once the door was closed, Toriel moved back over to the couch, sitting across from the sleepy skeleton.

"You did say that Frisk is an excellent judge of character. And she wants to teach at my school. Surely you can give her a chance, and not be so _boneheaded_." The pun brought a huff of laughter, to which she smiled. "Just give her a chance, will you not? Frisk really seems to like her." It was true, that much was painfully obvious. There wasn't anyone from his school that he seemed particularly excited about, until today, that is. Sans knew this, but he didn't quite feel like accepting it just yet.

"We'll see," he stated simply, yawning again, and feeling his grin widen as Toriel huffed a sigh at him. She couldn't expect him to suddenly like every human he came across, especially since so many have been so unkind. "Anyway, gimme a call when Paps is ready to leave." He got creakily to his feet, wincing slightly as his bones popped loudly. Toriel began to protest, but he waved her off over his shoulder, already opening the front door and escaping out into the cold. "Later, Tori." The queen sighed as she watched the skeleton disappear behind the closing door, his body fading out into nothingness as he took a 'shortcut'. _'Maybe someday he'll be able to accept that we're really free up here…'_ With that last thought, she set to wrapping up the pies and cleaning up, soul still thrumming with hopefulness as she thought about what to make for the dinner she was going to be hosting.

Humans were difficult.

That was the single, solitary thought that filled a particular skeleton's skull as he stepped through the rift in space he'd so effortlessly created, slippers padding softly across the carpet in his own apartment. It wasn't all that far away, just a block or two down from the one Toriel and Frisk stayed in, but he preferred not to walk if he could help it. More control over variables this way. Less chance of anything unexpected.

Unexpected, like Frisk not coming home.

He'd kept a level head, but inside, his soul had burned anxiously, panic buzzing in his bones, but he had to keep it together for Papyrus and Toriel. Even as his mind raced, filling in all of the blank spaces in his knowledge with sickeningly dark answers, 'what if's, and scenarios. He found himself wondering, terrified, if Frisk had found a way to reset again, if he was going back to Mt. Ebott to do just that, and his soul, how it had screamed within him. He could feel it dim and darken, and he'd ground his teeth and stayed by the window, leaning as casually as he could muster against the frame, the lights of his eyes focused through the glass. Waiting. Watching. Waiting…

When a vehicle had pulled up that he hadn't recognized, he'd felt his guard shoot up even further, until he saw a familiar face. Frisk. Oh, if he could put into words how relieved he'd felt, seeing them there. He'd almost shortcut his way right to him, but then he saw the other human. Unfamiliar. Not to be trusted. He'd immediately tried to look inside, to see this human's soul… but humans were more physically made, had more physical matter holding them together. It was always far more difficult to see a human's soul. Monsters were easier, usually. Frisk, however, seemed to have no trouble concentrating and seeing souls, no matter whose it was. It was a gift, and a gift that they had used well in their journey through the Underground. _'Journies,'_ he reminded himself, as if he needed it, and he felt his mood sour even further.

He kicked off his slippers, watching them sail across his own living room before he collapsed in a heap onto his own couch, skull falling back to rest against the back of the couch and his eyesockets closing. It had been a particularly draining day, and he was feeling it. And tomorrow, it seemed, would be yet another one. He still couldn't believe that Toriel had invited a stranger into their home so easily, as if she had no idea the cruelty humans were capable of.

" _You did say that Frisk is an excellent judge of character."_ His ever-present smile pulled into more of a grimace and a sigh hissed between his teeth. It was the truth. With such a powerful ability to percieve and read souls, he knew that Frisk would have been the first person suspicious of the new human, and yet… he could remember how comfortable Frisk already seemed to feel with them, even going so far as to reach out to her, physically. It was a fact that, the more he looked at it, annoyed him to no end. If he were to be distrusting of the human now, it would be the same as doubting Frisk, and that… well, that was something he couldn't very well do, now, could he? Not when they had broken the barrier, freed them all. _'But for how long?'_ He found himself asking that every day, every time he woke up, every time he went to bed. It was getting difficult to keep up a face around anyone, especially Papyrus. The weariness was showing in dark ridges beneath his eyesockets, and even though he found himself feeling tired, constantly, he couldn't seem to sleep for more than a few hours at a time.

And even when he did, the nightmares were always there to greet him.

Sans jerked his skull upright as he felt himself beginning to nod off, sighing heavily. At least now, with Papyrus and everybody else gone, he could stop wasting energy pretending. For right now, anyway, he was allowed to be tired. Once Papyrus got home, though, he'd have to stop, because worrying his brother was something he wouldn't do. Couldn't do. He'd read Papyrus his favorite bedtime story, tuck him in, drink a few bottles of ketchup, and sit up watching mindless television for however many hours until, eventually, he'd drag his body to his room and collapse onto his filthy sheets, and drift into darkness.

"Hey, welcome home!" Lena had just barely gotten the front door open when her roommate called out to her, twisting to lean across the back of the couch with a little wave. Smiling, she waved back, kicking off her shoes by the front door and heaving a sigh. "Bad day?" She nodded, then shook her head, then shrugged her shoulders. "One of those, huh? C'mere, I'm watching a Jim Carrey flick." Lena smiled gratefully and shrugged off her jacket, hanging it on the coat rack secured next to the front door. "Aaaalrighty then!" A small laugh escaped her as her friend so flawlessly quoted the movie that she knew they'd end up watching...again. She sat on the couch and chuckled as long thin legs immediately draped lazily across her lap. Her roommate was someone she'd known for a while, the total opposite of herself. Thin, pretty- She admonished herself in her mind, eyes trailing across her friend's features. She'd recently buzzed her hair short (which was really a shame, because her long hair had been so pretty), and the only part left with any real length was right along the top. It now hung carefully over to one side, and her friend blew her bangs out from in front of her olive-green eyes. Seemingly sensing the attention, the other woman turned to her, eyebrow raised, to which Lena shook her head.

"It's nothing, Brit. Don't worry about it…" Brit shrugged and withdrew her legs, scooting over and curling up next to her side.

"So, c'mon, tell me what's wrong? Do I need to go kick some ass? Or do you need a blowjob and a beer?" She waggled her eyebrows and Lena found herself sputtering with a laugh. "But seriously, talk to me, babe. Unless you just wanna zone out mindlessly watching Jim Carrey talk through his ass." Lena rolled her eyes.

"Your love of Jim Carrey knows no bounds."

"'Course not, I grew up watching him, and I'm gonna die watching him. He gives me such a comedy boner."

"Brit! Oh my god…"

They laughed and, eventually, settled into a comfortable silence, the movie playing more in the background than anything. Lena certainly wasn't focused on it, far too busy thinking over what had happened in the past hour. Frowning, she sighed. "Humans are so terrible…" She smiled a bit at her friend's muttered interjection of "hey, tell me about it" and pressed onward. "I… Frisk. You know, Frisk?" she asked, glancing over at her friend and continuing when she got a nod. "They've been bullied a lot at school… and the teacher doesn't seem to care the least bit." This got Brit's attention, and she scowled, muttering unkind things under her breath. "Brit…"

"Geez, a kid can't even feel safe at school! What the fuck is everyone's problem?! Monster, human, whatever, kids don't deserve to have to worry about their goddamn safety at school!" Lena agreed, obviously, and felt the exact same way… just a little more quietly. And with fewer curse words. "God, if it were my kids… I can't imagine how his parents feel."

"Well, I went and told their mom… I was talking with Kathleen and she got a call as I was confronting her about Frisk, saying Frisk hadn't gotten home…" She felt her friend squirm slightly on the couch, a soft whisper of 'oh god' meeting her ears, and she shook her head quickly. "Nothing bad, nothing bad! He uh… ended up missing the bus. My guess is some kids were bullying them… ...they had bruises on their chest, that I caught a glance of." Brit hissed in a breath and Lena had to put a hand on her leg to calm her. Topics about children were always relatively sensitive with her, considering she had two of her own. "Anyway, nobody seemed to bother to look for him… I stayed so long looking that even old Mr. Dinkle left, the head janitor! They were hiding under a bush, and… God, Brit, it broke my heart. They looked so scared…" It was true. Not necessarily in her heart did it hurt, but something else, something far larger, made her entire being shudder. "I drove them home, had a nice chat with their mom, Toriel, and I-"

"You spoke to royalty?! As in, Toriel, the QUEEN of ALL monsters?" Her eyes were wide and Lena sighed, nodding. "...Was she hot?"

"Brit!"

"Sorry, sorry! I've just seen a few pictures, and she's really pretty!" It had been true, now that Lena thought about it… Not that she ever really considered how she rated goatmonster women. But there was a daintiness and a grace about her, despite being so large in size. It was admirable, and the faintest hint of regality that she carried herself with, the confidence… she was envious of it, if she were honest.

"She was beautiful. Breathtakingly so, actually… but I'm not sure your husband will be too thrilled if you start talking about wanting to bone monster royalty." She held her hands up in surrender, shrugging slightly, which Lena snickered at. "But… they were so nice, Brit. I just… I can't understand why people treat them so badly…" A hand rested on her shoulder, and she looked up to see her friend giving her a half-smile. Her mouth opened to say something, when a high-pitched shriek came from the hallway, causing them both to whirl their heads in the direction of the hallway. There came running a very wet, very naked, and very fast little boy, and Brit hauled herself over the back of the couch, catching them in her arms.

"Gotcha! Get back in that tub, you stinker!" A peal of giggles erupted from them as she took the child back to the bathroom, and Lena found herself smiling fondly, though something in her chest ached dully. She loved her friend dearly, and she loved her friend's family, very much so… but she had been finding herself thinking about wanting to get out of their hair for a while. And, after the happenings of the day, she decided that she'd start looking at housing in Taobh tonight.

Steam flowed from the open bathroom door as Lena stepped out into the hallway, already dressed in her comfiest pajamas with a towel wrapped carefully around her head. "Shower's free, Brit!" she called, though voice hushed, since the children were already in bed. A half-hearted reply was said, but she didn't really understand it, so she just shrugged and headed into her bedroom. It had been an office at one point, and the desk and computer were still set up in the corner, but a bed had been moved in,

along with a dresser to store her clothing. She didn't really have much, but she was fine with that. If it meant less space to take up that wasn't really hers, then it was all the better that way. It was this thought that solidified heavily in her mind as she pulled out her laptop, opening a browser, and began her search.

"Housing in Taobh, Mt. Ebott"

The results were, amazingly enough, easy to find, and before she'd realized the time, she had spent three hours going through possible future homes. Most of the available spaces were apartments, not very big, from the floorplans she'd pulled up, but it was just her. She didn't have a family or loved one she was bringing with her.

A knock at her door pulled her from her search, for all but half a second, and she mumbled a quiet 'come in' before turning her eyes back to the screen. Brit, taking the opportunity, quietly slipped into the room, closing the door softly behind her and making her way over to sit on the edge of the bed. She took one glance at the screen and frowned.

"Gettin' tired of living here already?" She asked, playfully, but Lena still felt like it might've hurt. She shook her head, eager to put her friend at ease, but was stopped with a chuckle and a wave. "I'm just teasing. I know how much you've been dying to work at that school… but I didn't hear anything about it being allowed human students now." Lena shook her head sadly, huffing a sigh. "Ah, so… then…?" There was brief pause, and the short-haired woman suddenly put a hand on Lena's shoulder, compelling her to look at her. "Hey. You have this funny way of putting yourself through unnecessary grief to try and help people. If you're going to try and help Frisk and Toriel, then you should really reconsider."

"... _You_ , of all people are telling _me_ not to put myself through unnecessary grief?" she drawled, a brow raised, and she watched as Brit scowled lightly, though good naturedly, flopping back onto the bed. "I know you're worried about me, but it just feels… right. Like it's what I'm supposed to do, y'know?" The other woman huffed and rolled onto her stomach, folding her arms and resting her chin on them. "C'mon, don't pout… You're way too old for that."

"My kids do it, so I do it. They're a bad influence," she mumbled moodily, and Lena sighed, rolling her eyes and lowering a hand from the laptop in her lap to scratch at the other woman's scalp, immediately laughing outloud at how she groaned and pressed her face into the mattress. A muffled 'cheater' came from the blankets and she sighed heavily.

"I'll be moving out as soon as possible… that okay?" All she got was a shrug of shoulders in response, and she sighed. "Come on, please don't do this. You know as much as I do that this is what I was born for. Those monsters, they just… they're people, you know? They deserve to have everything we do."

"I know I know…" she grumbled, pushing herself up on her elbows, casting a tired glance her friend's way. "Doesn't mean I like losing my girlfriend. I don't do long distance, babe." Lena chuckled and, after a moment, so did Brit, and they both laid there for a while, Lena scrolling idly through listings of Taobh apartments. There wasn't much talking, except for collaborating opinions on floorplans, a little bit of teasing here and there, talking about memories… It wasn't like they weren't ever going to see eachother again, afterall. But there's a certain sorrow in realizing that someone won't always be there, every hour of every day, anymore. By the time Brit had dragged herself out of the room to her own bed, Lena had closed down her computer and was curled in her blankets, mind whirling.

As she anxiously thought about her future move, the dinner tomorrow night, and going back to work after the long break, sleep came uneasily.


	4. Chapter 4

[[ _Brit here! I think I'm gonna start working on a posting schedule... But it'll have to be pretty lenient, considering I tend to stress myself out with 'deadlines'. I wish I could spend all of my time writing, honestly, but with two kids under the age of three that I stay home to raise, that's just not an option. Sadly. (Though, believe me, they just LOVE to try and "help" mommy write.)_ ]]

[[ _Also! Check out my Tumblr for this fic!_ .com ]]

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Morning comes far more quickly than expected, and Lena finds herself wandering around the house lazily, killing time until it was time for her to leave. She'd happened to let it slip that she'd been invited back over for dinner, and...she found herself slightly wishing she hadn't.

"So _she_ asked you to come over for dinner, huh? She single?"

"Brit! Please!" A series of cackling laughs was all that she got in response, and she huffed, sinking further into the couch and crossing her arms over her chest. A separate pair of arms draped across her shoulders from behind the couch, and Brit knelt down to rest her chin against the top of the pouting woman's head.

"Okay okay, sorry. I know you're nervous. But I mean, she wouldn't have asked you back if she didn't want you there. Just be yourself- hey hey hey! Put that back!" The attention was drawn from the conversation at hand to a small boy, grinning impishly as they clutched their mother's cell phone in their hands, turning and running down the hallway. Brit threw herself after him, reaching for the phone and failing, falling just short. The bedroom door slammed closed then, and more endless giggling came from inside. She huffed a sigh, and Lena snorted slightly, turning to smile apologetically.

"I wonder where he gets that attitude from-"

"Don't even say it," came Brit's deadpan voice, and Lena bit back a laugh. "Alright, alright, so, do you need to take anything?" At Lena's blank expression, she pressed on, raising a brow. "Uh... Y'know, to the dinner. Like, dessert, a salad, drinks?" The brunette watched as her friend's expression changed from confused to horrified, and he sighed. "You didn't ask, did you?"

"Oh god, what am I supposed to bring?! I guess I could bring wine, but... Do monsters drink wine? And what about for Frisk? Oh, oh my god, I didn't think of that at all!" Lena tugged on her auburn hair, pulled into low pigtails, and sighed.

"Well, you could always go over early. Offer to help out?"

"You're a genius!"

"Pfft, genius-"

"Not now, Brit!" She got up and bustled into her bedroom, stepping over her friend carefully and dodging the grab for her ankle the other made. Her eyes flicked over to the small digital clock set by her bedside. _'2:47... Still early. But that'll give me enough time to get myself ready, and maybe I can help cook.'_ Nodding to her own inner statement, she rushed to her dresser and pulled out a clean pair of dark blue jeans, a white tank top, and a grey and black striped cardigan. The clothes were quickly thrown on (and she moaned in despair as she realized that her jeans fit a bit more tightly than she last remembered, reminding herself to go to the gym more often) and she made her way into the bathroom, closing the door quickly to avoid her friend's children getting in.

As soon as she managed to lock the door, there were ten little fingers reaching underneath the door, a small but powerful voice calling her name. She couldn't help but grin, giggling to herself as she pulled her shoulder length red hair out of their low messy pigtails and running a brush through it. She huffed when the hair 'floofed' in response, and she quickly grew frustrated as she tried to get it in order. _'It has a mind of its own, I swear to God!'_ Giving up, she pulled it back into a low ponytail and hurried out the door, slipping on her shoes as she opened the front door.

"Purse!" Lena turned as the word was shouted and just managed to catch her bag before it hit the ground, Brit giving her a thumbs up and a smile as she struggled to wrestle her two children into their clothes. "Good luck! Give the Queen my best!" Nodding and giving a quick goodbye, Lena hurried out into the cold toward her car. Destination: Taobh.

The atmosphere in the little home was quaint, for the most part. Toriel stood in the kitchen, filling a pot with water and setting it on the stove to boil. Something about a nice cup of tea always helped to settle her nerves, and today, she felt like she needed it. She'd impulsively invited a human over for dinner and, though she'd seemed confident the night prior, her friends' concerns were starting to rub off on her. _'She had rescued Frisk, though, so surely she is a good human... She even wants to teach at my school, for heaven's sake!'_ She felt bad, being so paranoid, especially after the human had seemed so kind. Still, her worry for her child trumped that.

As if the thought had summoned them, she felt hands tugging on her apron impatiently and, when she glanced down, Frisk was there, signing at her furiously. She laughed, "Slow down, my child! I cannot understand you when you are so frantic!" Frisk puffed out their cheeks in a bit of a pout (which Toriel adored), and slowed their hands' movements. "Yes, dear one, she will be coming tonight. I did invite her, afterall! Oh, though I didn't tell her what time..." Frowning, she raised a paw to her cheek, sighing. "I also did not give her my cell phone number... Oh, goodness. It appears I am not very good at hosting."

"Hey, c'mon, Tori. Don't _cell_ yourself short." She jumped slightly at the sudden voice, turning to see Sans grinning lazily up at her, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't worry about it. It'll be a great _reception_. You're doing that human a _service_ by inviting them over." From the front doorway, Papyrus screamed, covering where his ears would've been, if he'd had them, with his gloved hands.

"SANS! No. More. PUNS." The smaller skeleton chuckled, jerking his thumb in the direction of the hallway.

"Hey, Paps, how's about you take Frisk and go play? Show 'em that new puzzle book you found," he drawled, snickering as he watched his brother's eyesockets widen almost comically, and the grin spread across his face so far it looked as though it'd surely split his skull. Frisk detatched from their mother's skirt and bounded over to Papyrus, signing frantically, practically bouncing with excitement.

"YES, DEAR BROTHER, WHAT AN EXCELLENT IDEA! COME, HUMAN FRISK, ALLOW ME TO SCHOOL YOU IN THE MATTER OF PUZZLES!" With that boisterous announcement, he scooped Frisk up with one arm as easily as he would a pillow and carried him back to their room, already diving into in-depth descriptions of puzzles. Sans shook his head and huffed a laugh, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking up at Toriel.

"So you're really doin' this?" he asked, but a quick look from the queen made him hold his hands up defensively, shrugging his shoulders. "Just askin'. What's on the menu?" Toriel tapped a clawed finger to her chin, brows furrowing slightly as she tried to think of an answer. Humans certainly ate different things than most monsters... Oh, what if the human didn't like snails? It had been a little while since she had properly gone to the grocery store.

"Ahh, goodness... I haven't the slightest idea! Perhaps some spaghetti will have to do. I know your brother should be awfully fond of that plan," she said, smiling at the mention of the taller skeleton, and Sans gained an affectionate-looking grin, nodding. "It seems like something a human would like well enough. Frisk does, anyhow... Oh, I should have thought to ask her yesterday."

A knocking sound coming from the front door pulled Toriel from her thoughts and she wiped her paws on her apron, bustling toward the door. "Just a moment!" she called, and Sans made his way to sit on the couch, putting his feet up on the cushions with his hands behind his head. The front door opened and revealed the human woman, and Toriel found herself smiling widely. "Ah, Lena!I'm so glad you could make it!" Lena nodded and stepped in once the Queen moved aside for her to, closing the door behind her.

"I wasn't sure what time to show up.. Sorry if I'm here too early," she said quietly, giving a bit of a sheepish grin, to which Toriel responded by patting her shoulder with a heavy paw.

"Shush now, you're just fine. I haven't even started on dinner yet, though."

"Oh, well, is there anything I can help with?" Toriel frowned slightly, glancing between her and the skeleton so lazily strewn across her sofa, and a smile tugged at her lips.

"Yes! Sans was just about to go run to the store for me." At his mention the skeleton sat up, raising a browbone in confusion, but she ignored him. "Could you go with him, Lena? He's such a lazybones, I'd hate for him to accidentally forget anything..." The human spared a glance his way, brows furrowing slightly for a fraction of a second, and Toriel laid her paws on her shoulders. "Would you please? I'm afraid I don't have all the ingredients I need..." Lena paused for just a second, eyes flickering over to Sans, before she smiled and nodded.

"S-sure, no problem! I'm happy to do whatever I can to help." Sans narrowed his eyesockets at her, but a stern glance from Toriel had him pushing himself to his feet and shuffling towards the door.

"Welp. Let's get goin' then. If Paps doesn't get his spaghetti soon then he'll throw a fit," he said, shrugging his shoulders as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his fur-lined parka. He eyed Lena for a moment before he pulled the door open and strode out, not bothering to wait for the human to follow. Toriel gave her an apologetic smile and shooed her out of the house, closing the door behind them. Now left standing outside alone, Lena tugged awkwardly at one of her pigtails, glancing around the small front yard, her eyes occasionally flickering over to the skeleton. It wasn't that monsters scared her or made her nervous, usually... But this one in particular seemed to have something against her. "Hey." The voice suddenly startled her and she flinched slightly, meeting his gaze, which seemed to darken slightly as he noticed her reaction. "We goin' or what?"

"Huh? ... Ah! Right!" Fumbling a bit with her keys, she hit the small button on the handheld remote to unlock the doors, walking quickly around to the driver's side and climbing in. He seemed to eye the vehicle suspiciously for a second before he finally got in, closing the door with a little more force than was really necessary. The air was tense and uncomfortable inside the cab of the SUV, and Lena cleared her throat as she started the car. She was suddenly thankful that she'd been around Taobh before, because the thought of asking the skeleton for directions suddenly seemed daunting. The drive was short, with Sans keeping his eyes straight ahead or out the passenger side window, and there was no conversation. When they finally arrived, the doors opening seemed like it'd just broken the seal on a vacuum, and the sounds of bustling shoppers and passing vehicles sounded far louder than they would've usually.

It was a typical supermarket, not much different from any other one you'd find across the country. The only difference was that most of the employees were monsters, and there were significantly more monster-friendly products. Lena felt a small thrill of excitement at the thought of finally being able to go into one. When both doors to her vehicle were closed she stood awkwardly near the front bumper, only for a moment, waiting for Sans to take the lead. He did, with a small sigh, little more than a hiss of air between his teeth, and he started shuffling across the parking lot and towards the store. _'Does he just not like me or something...?'_ She frowned slightly as she followed after him, noticing easily how he kept glancing around him and over his shoulder, almost as if he were paranoid. _'Not all humans are as nice to monsters... Maybe he's just had a bad experience with humans.'_

"Hey, kid." His voice was gruff and suddenly much closer than she remembered it being, and her attention snapped back into focus. He was staring at her, a brow bone raised questioningly as he motioned toward the store with one hand. "Y' scared of a lil' grocery store?" His words hid a separate question, asking if she was afraid of going in because of the monsters... At least, that was how she interpreted it. Frowning, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and slung her purse's strap across her shoulder, striding past him and into the store. Sans merely chuckled halfheartedly and followed.

The inside was the same, but completely different. As she looked around, eyes widened slightly, she felt something bump into her leg, nearly making her lose her balance. "Oof! Hey!" When she looked down, she saw a small yellow monster with spikes going all down its back and tail, laying face down on the ground. It was struggling to get up, since it apparently had no arms. Its little striped turtleneck sweater didn't even have sleeves. "O-oh, here, let me-" She quickly and gently helped the small monster up, smiling down at him as he looked up at her with widened eyes. "Sorry about that! I need to look where I'm going." Shaking out of its shock, the little monster child gave her a sharp-toothed grin and nodded its head.

"Yo, it's alright, I guess. Thanks for, uh,..well, thanks!" With that, he turned and ran back out of the store, only to fall flat on his face again a little ways away. Lena made a move to go help him again, but he hopped back up easily, shouting a small "I'm okay!" and kept going. She shook her head and sighed, a smile still pulling up at her lips, and turned back to move further into the store. Sans was staring right at her. "...Yes?" He looked surprised for a second, eyesockets widening, and he quickly shrugged. If she didn't know better, though, it seemed like he was smiling a bit more easily. "Okay, what did Toriel send us for...?" It only just occured to her that the queen hadn't sent them with a list.

"Spaghetti's what she said. Y'know how to make that?" he drawled, glancing up at her slightly, browbones raising only slightly when she nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, my friend Brit's a total whore for pasta..." Frowning slightly, she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, fighting back a smile. "You could say she's a total _'pastatute'_." Sans snorted in spite of himself, quickly pulling a hand from the pocket of his parka and covering his mouth, eyesockets widened. Feeling pleased with herself, Lena allowed herself a smile as she picked up a small shopping basket and headed down the first aisle. Sans watched after her for a moment, trying his hardest to fend off the grin that was threatening to split his skull, but failing. Sighing heavily, he shook it off and returned his hand to his pocket, following after her. "Alrighty, what first, what first..." Lena mumbled to herself as she glanced at the shelves. The products were familiar, but none of the brands were what she recognized, save for a few. Still, it should be similar enough, right? She pulled a few boxes of angel hair pasta from the shelves, preparing to drop them into the basket, but paused. "Hey... Does Toriel usually prefer to make her noodles herself?" she asked the skeleton, who raised a browbone at her.

"Nah, those'll be fine." He watched as she nodded and turned back to the shelf, only for her face to light up, a small laugh escaping her.

"Hey, look! Think Papyrus will like these?" She took a different box off of the shelf and held it out, and Sans saw that they were bone-shaped noodles. _'What's she care if Papy likes 'em..?'_ He shrugged, and, deeming that as affirmation enough, she returned all but one box of the angel hair and put two boxes of the bone-shaped pasta into the basket, looking pleased with her decision. "They're so cute! I'm sure Frisk will like them, too. Okay, now for the sauce..." She glanced around, standing on her tip-toes to try and look at the signs hanging from the ceiling just barely visible over the top of the shelves. Spying the 'fresh produce' sign, she eagerly walked down the aisle, turning the corner sharply, only to bump into someone's cart. It was enough of a jarring motion that she stumbled backwards, losing her grip on her basket. The person pushing the cart turned to glare at her, lip curled up into a sneer.

"Hey, watch where you're goin!" the human barked, and Lena quickly knelt to pick up her basket, carefully placing the boxes back inside as she mumbled apologies. Not apparently appeased by this, the human shoved their cart aside, crossing their arms and looking down at her witheringly, hands tightening into fists. "If you're gonna be in this store, you better watch where you're fuckin' going!" Their loud voice began to draw attention, and another person, a rabbit monster woman, from the looks at it, stepped forward.

"What're you raisin' such a ruckus for? There'll be none of that in my store!" The human growled at her, sucking their teeth angrily.

"This fatass bumped into me!" Lena flinched inwardly, hands trembling as she placed the last box back into her basket, and the rabbit woman gave her an apologetic look. Sans, standing by, observed the entire ordeal, eyelights flickering back and forth between the three now involved.

"She didn't mean no harm! Now go on, get goin'! I'll have no more shoutin' in my store," the monster said sternly, and the angry human scowled deeply, giving one final good glare before storming off, pushing his cart in the opposite direction. Lena watched him go, feeling a bit of relief, when she was suddenly offered a paw. Looking up, the rabbit woman was smiling at her, brows furrowed slightly in a troubled expression. "You alright darlin'? I'm awful sorry about all that."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's-" She cut herself off, letting the rest of the sentence die on her tongue. _'It's nothing new.'_ Putting on a smile, she took the extended paw and got herself to her feet again, holding the basket tightly in her free hand. The rabbit lady pat her kindly on the shoulder before walking away, probably to return to her work. The aisle was pretty silent, a few people staring at her, and Lena quickly continued in the way she'd been going. Sans frowned, eyes glaring in the direction the hostile human had vanished, and followed a small distance behind her.

"Tomatoes!" she announced, green eyes skimming over the different sized and shaped fruits, lips tilting down into a small, thoughtful frown. "I wonder which ones would be best for making tomato sauce..." Sidling up next to her, Sans glanced across the selection and, snorting softly, picked up a ripe roma tomato, holding it up in front of her.

"You can't ' _roma'_ off the wrong path with this one." Lena felt herself smiling as she reached out to take the tomato from between his bony fingertips, inspecting it. "All real spaghetti masters know that."

"Oh?" she mused, raising a thick auburn brow at him. "I didn't know that." Sans shrugged his shoulders, returning his hands to his pockets.

"Guess that makes you an ' _impasta_ ' then." It was so ridiculous, and she didn't even like puns that much, but the stress from the previous situation made her laugh in spite of herself. A small snorting laugh that she fought hard to bite back, raising a hand to cover her mouth, embarrassed. Sans couldn't help the genuine smile that spread from cheekbone to cheekbone.

' _Someone who really laughs at bad jokes has the kind of integrity you just can't say 'no' to.'_

How long ago had it been since he'd said that, he wondered. In realistic times, it was probably only three years or so. But it felt like, in the time he had to live and relive, that it was at least a decade ago, if not more. It had been so long since he found an audience so willing to laugh for him. Not just a pity laugh, but an honest, genuine laugh. The kind of laugh that he could see little glowing peaks of her soul from. The faintest whisps of light, transparent, no color, because he wasn't close enough to see them yet.

After that, the tension seemed to break a bit. They gathered up all the rest of the ingredients needed to make a decent spaghetti bolognese, and Sans cracked as many puns as he saw eager opportunity for. Sometimes she groaned and told him to stop, which was entertaining; and other times she laughed, whether because she thought it was funny or it had been unexpected, and those were the times that made him want to crack another, and another. But something was still on his mind heavily, bothering him with its curiosity. So as Lena finished paying for their groceries and they both hauled bags to the car, he cocked a browbone.

"So what's the deal with what that guy said before?" he asked flatly, fighting the urge to roll his eyelights when she just stared at him, confused. "Y'know, fatass?" The word had been said casually, but he didn't miss the way her jaw clenched subtly, or the way her brows furrowed the slightest bit. "I mean, so what if you're bigger than other humans?" She sighed, pulling her hair over her shoulder and combing her fingers through it as she thought over her answer, choosing her words carefully.

"It's... Well, it's an insult, when they say it like that. People don't... It's rude, to make fun of someone's weight. Or their height, or their race," she explained simply, with the easiness as though she were speaking to a child. Her eyes flickered over to his for a moment as she clipped on her seatbelt. "You know, like how it doesn't feel good when people say bad things about you being a monster. Not exactly the same, but it's similar..." Sans understood immediately, though he didn't understand why it was an insult to begin with. There was much that was foreign to them Aboveground. Their standards for things were far different and, in their opinion, made much less sense. He nodded subtly, clipping his own seatbelt and shoving his left hand back into his pocket, the other resting on the door and tapping rhythmically against the plastic.

"'S stupid," he muttered, and she made a noise of questioning, as if asking him to repeat himself or elaborate, but he didn't. She turned on the radio, and the drive back home was silent. It was far less tense than before, though, and that felt like an accomplishment. Though of what, neither of them knew.


	5. Chapter 5

[[ Ahhh, yeah... I have the best inspirational bud-bud in the world who whines and flails at my face for chapters. Anyone who likes reading this should thank him. 3 Love you Jammers! ]]

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As soon as the apartment came into view, Lena climbed out of her SUV and started heading toward the trunk, opening it and extracting as many bags as she could fit onto her arms...which happened to be all of them. Her arms shook slightly under the weight, and she gave a small grunt as she hauled them up from the floor of her trunk and headed toward the front door.

"Ya need any help there, kid?" came Sans' drawling voice. He was watching her with an expression of almost amusement on his face, a brow bone raised as he watched her struggle the slightest bit and shake her head.

"Nope! I've got it. Thanks, though," she said cheerfully, though her voice was strained slightly. He simply shrugged his shoulders and chuckled, hands in his pockets as he followed after her. Once they actually reached the front door, she stood, mind working furiously as she tried to figure out how she was exactly going to get it open with her hands full. She tried shifting the bags on one arm to her other, but the weight proved to be too much. Then she tried reaching for the doorknob by moving the bag handles to her wrist, but the bags got in the way. She glanced back at Sans, who was watching her, smirking, and she huffed. "Sans." He hummed slightly, a question, and she frowned the slightest bit, almost like a pout. "Please?" she asked, and she swore, if his smirk got any wider, his skull would split in two. He stepped around her slowly, slippers shuffling against the sidewalk, and casually opened the door.

"M'lady," he said smoothly, tipping an invisible fedora and giving a small snort when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, my child, you have returned! Please, allow me!" Toriel bustled over to the overburdened human, easily taking the bags from her and moving back to set them all on the kitchen counter. "I should have sent a gentleman with you to help you carry all of these heavy things," she said, shooting Sans a look, to which he simply shrugged, closing the front door and walking to flop onto the couch.

"It's alright, I don't mind. I can take care of myself!" Lena said proudly, holding her arms up and flexing her muscles, causing Toriel to giggle.

"Yes, yes, of course! I never doubted your strength, young one."

"So..." the human began, digging through the bags. "I got everything for spaghetti bolognese, and garlic bread. I hope that this is all okay... I hope I didn't forget anything." The queen started sorting through the bags, humming to herself and nodding, as if checking off a mental checklist. When she came across the bone-shaped pasta, she laughed, holding it up to inspect it more closely. "Oh, those. I thought Papyrus and Frisk might enjoy that. They're such cute little bone shapes!"

"I am certain they will love them! They are absolutely adorable!" The two women talked back and forth eagerly, about cooking, about Frisk, about lots of things. It was surprising how well they really got along. Sans watched idly from the couch, one eye cracked open just barely enough to keep an eye on them. The exchange between the two women seemed civil enough...but a part of him just didn't feel at ease, having a human that wasn't Frisk in the apartment. "Oh, would you mind starting on the sauce for me? I was just about to finish making a butterscotch cinnamon pie that we could have for dessert." Lena's eyes widened at that, her stomach growling subtly at the thought, and she smiled.

"Sure! That sounds delicious! Do you bake often, Toriel?" The queen nodded, flushing prettily, a faint shade of pink gracing her cheeks. Lena pulled out all of the tomatoes and, after a second of looking around, grabbed a sharp chef's knife, cutting out the stems and dicing the plump fruits. She picked out the seeds the best she could and put them into a saucepan Toriel had already sat out for her. She turned the flames on underneath the burner, adjusting them until it was just a low flicker, letting the tomatoes stew for a moment as she prepared the other ingredients. "You wouldn't happen to have any ketchup, would you?" she asked, and Sans quirked a brow at this, watching as Toriel went to the fridge and pulled out the glass bottle of Heinz. "Thanks!" The human searched through the drawers for a moment until she found a spoon, then carefully measured out six spoonfuls of the red condiment, dumping it into the saucepan. Then, with only a slight hesitation, she filled up the spoon once more and promptly put it into her mouth.

' _The kid likes ketchup, huh... Guess she can't be all that bad.'_ Sans frowned at the thought, tucking his hands behind his skull and laying back on the couch, closing his eyes.

"You and Sans both have the strangest taste. I don't believe I've ever seen another person eat ketchup all by itself!" Lena gave a sheepish grin, rinsing off the used spoon and setting it into the sink.

"Yeah, I know. I just really like ketchup. I didn't used to think it was so great, but my friend Brit loves the stuff, and so do her kids, and-"

"Your friend has children?" Toriel interrupted, her eyes practically shining as she paused in her pie-preparations, turning toward the human. "Are they monster or human?"

"They're human. But they have the same feelings about monsters as I do. Ah, here, I think I have a recent enough picture of them..." Fumbling in her back pocket for her phone, Lena quickly unlocked it and started flipping through her pictures, pausing on one that had herself, Brit, and her two children in it. Toriel cooed, obviously enamored by the small children. "That's my friend Brit. She's a stay-at-home mom, y'know, to raise her kids. They're real handfuls, too! Oh, maybe you could meet them one day!" At this the queen paused, smiling somewhat sadly.

"I would not want to frighten them..." she mumbled softly, and Lena shook her head.

"Nonsense! Her children aren't afraid of monsters. They've seen plenty of them. They even have playdates with a few monster families! Brit loves babysitting for them, too..." Lena trailed off slightly as she noticed the struck expression on Toriel's face. "Ah, sorry... I just. I really respect her, for how much she's managed to get those families to open up and trust her, y'know? I know that trusting humans is hard..." She chuckled somewhat darkly, shrugging her shoulders as she rolled and chopped some parsley. "Heck, even we have trouble trusting our own species sometimes. It's just the way things are... So, um, you wouldn't have to worry about scaring them." She gave the queen a patient smile then, and Toriel felt herself smiling as well, a bit of fondness in her expression.

"I see... Thank you, young one. It means quite a lot to hear that from one such as yourself." Lena glanced at her, confused by what she meant by her words, but was interrupted before she could even begin to speak by a loud voice booming from the hallway.

"YOU HAVE STARTED THE DINNER PREPARATIONS WITHOUT ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS?" Papyrus stood there with his hands on his bony hips, browbones furrowed and his voice actually sounding somewhat hurt. Toriel turned to him and smiled nervously, glancing between the stove and Papyrus.

"Ahhh, well, yes. I was hoping that you might be willing to keep an eye on Frisk for me while we cook." When he didn't seem pleased by this, she pressed onward. "I-I believe that Lena and I can handle dinner..."

"NONSENSE! MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE DINNER MAKING! WHAT IF THE HUMAN DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY MAKE SPAGHETTI? IT WOULD BE A TRAGEDY IF SHE WERE TO MAKE A MISTAKE! SHE WOULD SURELY BE EMBARRASSED!" Lena felt her brow twitch (it was hard not to take those words as a bit of an insult) but turned to Toriel, laying a hand on her arm.

"Don't worry, I can uh...keep them occupied," she said quietly, giving the queen a small wink and crossing the living room. "Hey, Papyrus, do you want to play a game?" She could feel Sans' eyes on her as she walked closer to his brother, but she ignored it, smiling up at the towering skeleton. Papyrus' eyes widened slightly, a look of intrigue passing over his face. _'How do skeletons even make facial expressions?'_

"A GAME? WHAT SORT OF GAME ARE YOU WANTING TO PLAY?"

"Well, it's sort of a puzzle game-"

"A PUZZLE GAME?! WHAT IS IT? WHAT ARE THE RULES? WE MUST PLAY AT ONCE!" he asked, voice eager like a child's and Lena couldn't help but laugh goodnaturedly at his excitement.

"I have a lot of different games, actually. Hang on, I'll go get them. They're in my car-"

"I SHALL HELP YOU, HUMAN!" He stormed past her and threw the front door open, disappearing outside, and Lena giggled, following after him. When she got outside, she fought back a snort as Papyrus was pressing his face to the glass of the windows, peering inside her vehicle. "WHERE ARE THEY? I DO NOT SEE THEM." She pulled out her keys and hit the button to unlock and open the trunk, which Papyrus immediately lunged for, eyesockets widening as he spied all of the different colorful board game boxes. He scooped them all up in his big arms and walked proudly back into the house, and Lena barely had time to close the trunk and return inside before he dumped the boxes onto the coffee table, startling Sans who had, apparently dozed off. "WHICH SHALL WE PLAY FIRST?"

Sans eyed the boxes suspiciously for a moment, expression fading to one of mild curiosity when he saw they were harmless. Lena looked over the different boxes and, smiling, picked up the one with "Mouse Trap" written on the side. "How about this one?" she asked, carefully stacking the other boxes on the floor next to the coffee table and setting the chosen box on top, opening it. Papyrus stared, completely fascinated as she set up the board game.

"'MOUSE TRAP'... WHY WOULD THEY MAKE A GAME ABOUT TRAPPING MICE? WHY NOT 'HUMAN TRAP'?" Lena raised a brow, pausing to think over his question, then shrugged.

"Well, on the surface, mice are often troublesome for humans, since they sneak into houses and chew up electrical wires, tear up furniature... That's why people invented mouse traps."

"AH. SO THAT THE MOUSE COULD BE TOLD NOT TO BE VOILENT AND THEN SET FREE?" The question was so innocent, and Lena could feel Sans' eyes on her again, so she smiled and nodded easily.

"That's right." She just didn't have the heart to tell him that mouse traps actually killed the mice... Not when he smiled so brightly at her words. "So, do you want to go get Frisk and ask if they want to play?" Papyrus nodded quickly and jumped up, the action shaking the floor a bit, and he bounded down the hallway, calling for Frisk.

"Hey." Sans' voice spoke up finally and suddenly, and Lena glanced up from where she was setting up the game board and made a small hum of question. "Thanks for, y'know, not tellin' Paps about mouse traps. He'd have been upset if he found out." It was a surprise that he actually thanked her, and she looked surprised for a moment. "Might be good to let that fact _squeak_ by." Lena rolled her eyes, huffing slightly and returning to reading over the game instructions.

"That joke was pretty _cheesy_ ," she countered easily, and she didn't miss the small snort of amusement the skeleton gave. Her lips spread into a smile as she set out all of the playing pieces, wanting to wait until the others chose theirs first.

"I dunno, I thought it was a _mouse_ terpiece." She groaned and looked over at him, a wordless glance that practically said "are you done", and he snickered to himself. Papyrus was suddenly storming back into the room, a giggling Frisk on his shoulders. He set the child down carefully on the couch next to Sans, who immediately reached out to ruffle their hair.

"ALRIGHT, WE ARE HERE. SO WHAT ARE THE RULES TO THIS GAME, HUMAN?" he asked, eyesockets focused intently on the board set up on the coffee table.

"Well, the object of the game is to collect the most cheese by moving across the board. We play as the mice in this game," she said, holding up one of the little mouse-shaped player pieces. "Here, why don't you go ahead and pick your piece? You can pick whichever color you want." Papyrus and Frisk leaned over the table, both of their faces screwing up into a look of intense concentration that Lena couldn't help but smile brightly at. After a moment, Papyrus very carefully picked up the red mouse, bringing it up to eye-level to look at it more closely.

"THIS ONE MATCHES THE COLOR OF MY CAPE, SO I SHALL HAVE THIS ONE. WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT, HUMAN FRISK?" The child looked at the pieces, frowning slightly, then their eyes widened in realization, glancing between Sans and Lena, who raised a brow at him in confusion. They quickly picked up the remaining three pieces and shoved the green one into Lena's hands, and the blue one in Sans' hand. They nodded as if proud of themselves, smiling widely and signing something to Sans, who raised his browbones at him.

"Yeah, kid? If you say so..." he drawled on, glancing at Lena, then shrugging his shoulders, sitting up a bit. "Guess I'm playin'."

"Ah, if you don't want to, you don't have to..." she said carefully, glancing between him and Frisk. Sans shook his head, grinning.

"Nah. If the kid wants me to play, who am I to disa _brie?_ " Papyrus groaned loudly and pointed a finger accusingly at his brother.

"SANS! NONE OF THAT!"

"Aw, c'mon bro, I thought that joke was pretty _grate_." Frisk giggled and held out a fist toward the shorter skeleton, who quickly initiated a gentle fistbump, much to Papyrus' displeasure. "Alright alright, sorry bro. I'll stop with the puns..." Papyrus sighed in relief. "...y'know, just in _queso_ the human doesn't like 'em."

"SANS!"

* * *

The game of mouse trap had gone fairly smoothly, considering none of them really knew how to play. Lena had to read and re-read (and re-read, and re-read) the rules, and Sans had been waiting for her to lose her patience with his brother pretty quickly. But she didn't, and when Papyrus had started losing and getting upset, she'd even thrown the game. Messing up on purpose so that she would get trapped, and letting Papyrus win. Now, Sans wasn't one to trust humans easily...but someone who cared that much for his brother couldn't be all bad, right?

The other games went in a similar fashion. Operation, Candy Land, Connect Four, and Sorry were all played, and there were lots of laughs. Sans found himself even having fun...just a little bit. He kept watching his brother's expression light up, and he'd smile fondly when Frisk excitedly bounced next to him. This was all he ever wanted. To see the people he loved enjoying themselves.

"I, MASTER DETECTIVE PAPYRUS, SHALL BE THE ONE TO CATCH THE DASTARDLY HUMAN WHO MURDERED COLONEL MUSTARD!" Papyrus cried out proudly, slapping a gloved hand to his armor-covered chest as he pointed a finger at the group now settled around the table. Sans shrugged, closing his eyes, then barely peeking one open to glance at his brother.

"Better hurry bro, otherwise they'll get away, and if they do-"

"DO NOT-"

"-then it'll be hard for you to _ketchup._ "

"AUGH! THAT'S IT. IT HAS TO BE YOU. YOU ARE THE ONE. SANS IN THE STUDY WITH THE AWFUL JOKES. YOU KILLED POOR COLONEL MUSTARD. ADMIT IT!"

Lena laughed at their playful banter, her cheeks sore from smiling so much.

"Hey, c'mon, bro, if I told you who did it, then you couldn't _relish_ in your victory." Papyrus dragged a hand down his skull and face, a loud, muffled groan escaping him, and Sans snickered at his expense. "Hey, you're smilin'."

"I AM. AND I HATE IT!"

"I hate to interrupt your fun," Toriel said brightly, smiling from her spot in the kitchen, drawing their attention, "but dinner is ready! Frisk, please go wash your hands, Lena, could you help me set the table?" Frisk nodded and hopped down from the couch, avoiding Sans' hand as he attempted to muss his hair again and disappearing down the hall into the bathroom.

"Sure!" Lena called, glancing at the board, then the kitchen. "Um, could you handle getting this put away for me, Papyrus?" she asked, eyes flicking up toward Sans for half a second, but was distracted by a large hand turning her and gently pushing her toward the kitchen.

"FEAR NOT, HUMAN. I SHALL EXPERTLY PUT THIS PUZZLE GAME AWAY!" She chuckled and nodded her head, hurrying off toward the kitchen. She spied the plates and silverware that Toriel had set out on the counter and began setting the places at the table, lining up the silverware perfectly next to the beautiful china. Once she was done, she went to the stove, leaning over to smell the delicious aromas coming from the pots set on it. A small laugh escaped her when she saw the bone-shaped pasta, set aside in their own bowl.

"Could you put these dishes on the table for me? And serving spoons are in the drawer next to the sink over there," Toriel said, slipping on a pair of oven mitts over her large paws, and Lena nodded. She took the bowls of plain pasta (one bone-shaped, and one of regular angel hair) and set them in the center of the table, grabbing a serving spoon for the shaped ones and a pasta-server for the other. Toriel nudged past her gently and set a large plate stacked high with garlic bread down as well, slipping off her oven mitts and putting her hands on her hips, looking over the food triumphantly. The two women shared a smile. "Dinner is served~"


	6. Chapter 6

[[ _So here we are, on to chapter six already! I have Jamie to thank for pushing me and supporting me and getting me to write so much. It feels so good to write again. If he weren't such a fan, I don't think I'd still be writing this! So to anyone who reads this, you'd better thank him! Without him, there'd probably be no fic!_ ]]

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"WHAT ON EARTH ARE THOSE?!" Everyone had gathered around and taken a seat at the small dining room table, and Papyrus was currently scrutinizing the bone-shaped pasta, browbones furrowed slightly. Nervously, Lena took the serving spoon and scooped a heaping serving onto her plate, shooting him a smile.

"It's pasta, just made into bone shapes. It still tastes the same and everything..." His eyesockets widened almost comically, and he turned to frisk with enthusiasm.

"HUMAN FRISK, DID YOU KNOW THAT THEY MAKE PASTA IN DIFFERENT SHAPES?" When Frisk nodded, he gasped, turning to his brother, who simply gave a small shrug. "I HAD NO IDEA! I MUST TRY ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PASTA SOMEDAY!"With that proclamation, he scooped a large amount onto his own plate, smothering it with the pasta sauce. He stabbed at a few of the sauce-coated noodles with his fork and shoved them into his mouth, humming pleasantly at the taste. "BROTHER, YOU SHOULD TRY SOME! IT TASTES EVEN BETTER WITH THE BONE-NOODLES." Sans chuckled and helped himself to a small amount of the pasta, passing the serving spoon to Frisk so they could get themselves some, as well. Toriel looked immensely pleased.

" _Bone_ appetite everyone!" Papyrus stalled in his eating, fork raised halfway to his face, and narrowed his eyes at Toriel, frowning. She giggled helplessly for a moment, and he slowly placed the food into his mouth, chewing moodily.

"Heh, you beat me to it, Tori. I was just about to say that," Sans said, taking up a few of the noodles and eating them. Lena found herself wondering where on earth the food went. _'Magic skeletons. That's all there is to be said.'_ Shrugging slightly to herself and her own thought, she picked up a piece of garlic bread and set it on her plate, then started to eat.

"So, Lena! Did you mean what you said, wanting to teach at my school...?" Toriel asked hesitantly, looking up from her own plate and over to the human almost shyly. Lena nodded eagerly, smiling at her reassuringly.

"Yeah! The school I'm working at now is just... Well, it's not the ideal place for me to work. I'd much rather be working here." She paused to take a bite, chewing thoughtfully as she thought carefully over her words. "I was... Well, actually, I was looking at apartments here, in Taobh..." Sans glanced up at that, browbones raising in surprise before he could mask it.

"Oh? That would be splendid! There's one that's available not too far from here, actually. Just a block away or so!" Lena felt more at ease discussing it since Toriel seemed so excited about the prospect of living close together. "My child, would that not be splendid? She could visit us much more often!" Frisk nodded eagerly, signing something quickly, and the queen laughed. "Yes, yes, that would be nice!"

"That actually might have been the place I was looking at... It's larger than I need just for myself, though."

"Oh? Your friend will not be moving with you?" Lena shook her head, shrugging her shoulders easily.

"Her husband has a job in Tristin, and her family all lives there. It's not far away from here, but she's pretty well settled where she is. She did offer to move with me, but... Well, I can't uproot her whole family just for me!" Toriel nodded solemnly, a bit of a frown pulling down at her lovely features. "Anyway, I need to figure out who to talk to about the apartment so that I can move as soon as possible-"

"Oh you do not need to worry about that, my dear. I will take care of all of that for you. If you can get your things packed, then I will tell Asgore and he will make all the necessary arrangements." The way she said the name 'Asgore' made it sound like she was reluctant, but nobody chose to comment on it. She pressed right on ahead past it. "In fact, I'm sure that I could find a few people to help you move!" Her eyes went over to the skeleton brothers, and Papyrus raised his hand eagerly.

"YOUR MAJESTY, CHOOSE ME! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP THE HUMAN MOVE INTO HER NEW HOME!" His energy was vibrant and refreshing, and Lena couldn't help but laugh.

"Well thank you, Papyrus. I'd really appreciate any help I can get. Though I don't really have much in terms of furniture... I guess I'll have to go furniture shopping soon. Maybe you can come with me, Papyrus?" She scooped up the last of her noodles onto her fork and stuffed them into her mouth, reaching for the serving spoon to help herself to some more.

"Yes, and you better eat up! Put some meat on those bones~" Toriel teased, giggling when the skeleton groaned. "You'll want to have enough strength to help Lena carry her things, won't you?" Papyrus nodded, eagerly shoving more food into his mouth, where it disappeared into the inky blackness.

"OF COURSE! BUT HUMAN, YOU ARE PLENTY STRONG, RIGHT? YOU HAVE THE MOST MEAT ON YOUR BONES OUT OF ANY OF US!" he said cheerfully, and despite the sunny tone it was said in, Lena felt her chest clench painfully, expression revealing all the hurt the comment made her feel...but only for a second, because she quickly summoned up a smile to cover it.

"...Right." She swallowed thickly, glancing down at her plate. Even though she'd just gotten more, she suddenly wasn't feeling very hungry anymore. Sans' eyesockets narrowed slightly, focused on her, gauging her reaction. After what she'd said before, he knew that she must've been upset. But she was doing a pretty good job of hiding it. He glanced around the table and saw that both Toriel and Frisk were frowning slightly, looking at her with concern. "Um... I, uh..." Lena fumbled for words, feeling her smile wavering, eyes stinging faintly. She suddenly pushed herself up from the table. "Sorry, um, I better get home and start packing, haha."

"Oh, are you sure..? We haven't had dessert yet!" Toriel said, and Lena felt her stomach turn. The _last_ thing she needed was dessert. She turned to the queen with a smile, nodding.

"Sorry, I uh, forgot that Brit needed my help with the kids tonight. I'll see you all later." With that, she went and hurriedly began to put on her coat, hand reaching for the front door. She was stopped by a small tug on her coat sleeve, and she glanced down to see Frisk, frowning up at her. Their hands moved quickly as they signed something, but Lena couldn't tell what.

"The kid's askin' if you want to come over and play in the snow tomorrow. It's supposed to snow a lot," Sans offered, sending her a smile, though it was a bit less than it had been before. She nodded, patting Frisk on the head gently, ruffling their hair.

"Sure, buddy," she said quietly, reaching into her coat pocket and pulling out a pen, reaching for the child's hand. She scribbled her phone number on the back of it, pocketed the pen, and pulled open the front door. "...I'll see you guys tomorrow. Sorry to rush off... Bye." She quickly let herself out, closing the door behind her and releasing a shuddery sigh. _'It never gets any easier, does it?'_ She huffed an empty laugh and made her way to her car, getting in and just sitting there for a minute, trying to steady herself before driving off. Maybe once she got home, she'd feel better... That's what she hoped, anyway.

"Oh dear..." Toriel sighed, glancing at the now empty seat, a sad expression pulling at her face. Frisk came bounding over, signing frantically. "My child, what is it?" she asked, taking Frisk's hand they extended and, seeing the number, giving a faint smile. "Ah, I see. Would you like for me to enter it into your cell phone, dear one?" The child nodded quickly, their hair flying everywhere, and Toriel couldn't help but chuckle. "Very well. After you finish eating-" Frisk pointed to their empty plate and their mother's eyes widened, then she shook her head, chuckling. "Alright, alright. Go ahead and go get it, I shall put Lena's number in for you." Frisk bounded off energetically and, with them now out of the room, Toriel glanced over to Papyrus, who was looking very confused between the front door and Lena's now empty chair.

"WHY DID THE HUMAN LEAVE SO QUICKLY? THEY DID NOT EVEN FINISH THEIR FOOD. IT IS A SIN TO WASTE SUCH GOOD SPAGHETTI!" he cried, reaching across the table to grab her plate, scooping the leftover food onto his own. Sans sighed and raised a hand to scratch at the back of his skull, frowning slightly.

"Well..." Toriel began gently, brows furrowing slightly. "Papyrus, dear, you might not have meant to, but...you insulted her."Papyrus set down his fork noisily, frowning.

"I DID NO SUCH THING! I MERELY STATED THAT SHE HAS MUCH MEAT ON HER BONES!"

"Yes, well... That was an insult, dearie." He only seemed more confused by this and, wanting the conversation to end quickly, Sans rolled his shoulders, speaking up.

"Humans make fun of each other for bein' bigger. So she thinks you were makin' fun of her." Papyrus frown deepened, looking even more puzzled.

"WHY WOULD THEY MAKE FUN OF EACHOTHER FOR BEING DIFFERENT SIZES?"

"Humans think you have to fit certain criteria and, if you don't, then you're not as good."

"THAT IS PREPOSTEROUS!"

"So you see, dear... You might not have meant to, but you insulted Lena by pointing out her um...body size," she explained, and Papyrus's expression suddenly became one of realization, then one of sadness.

"I... I DID NOT MEAN IT AS AN INSULT. I WAS ONLY... I JUST..." He sniffled noisily, and Sans raised a hand to pat him on the back. "SANS! I INSULTED OUR FRIEND!" It surprised the smaller skeleton that he was already calling her a friend, but he pushed past that, too distracted by the distraught look on his brother's face. "SHE MUST SURELY HATE ME NOW!" he wailed, gloved hands raising to cover his face. Sans frowned, leaning up to pat his brother on the top of the skull comfortingly.

"Hey... 'm sure she doesn't hate ya, Paps." His brother looked up from his gloves tearily, and he pressed on. "She apparently gets stuff like that said to her all the time. You didn't know. 'm sure she'll be fine."

"DO YOU... THINK SHE WILL FORGIVE ME? SHOULD I MAKE HER APOLOGETIC SPAGHETTI? I DO NOT WANT THE KIND HUMAN TO HATE ME!" His eyesockets threatened to overflow with tears, and Sans shifted uncomfortably, shrugging his shoulders. Frisk burst back into the room in that moment, holding their phone triumphantly over their head, handing it to their mother. When they saw Papyrus in distress, they quickly jumped up onto their chair and clambered onto his shoulders, hugging his skull with both of their small arms. They began to sign something, and Papyrus sniffed loudly, nodding their head. "YES... YOU ARE RIGHT, HUMAN FRISK. I WILL JUST BE SURE TO APOLOGIZE. SURELY SHE WILL NOT HATE ME OVER A SIMPLE MISTAKE..." He didn't sound too terribly sure, and the lack of confidence in his voice made Sans' soul clench in his chest.

"Yeah, bro, don't worry about it. Why don't you make one of them spaghetti pictures for her?" he offered, sighing in relief when he saw the taller skeleton's eyesockets widen, a small smile pulling up at their mouth.

"YES, THAT IS A GOOD IDEA... HUMAN FRISK, WILL YOU HELP ME?" Frisk nodded quickly and hopped down from the skeleton's shoulders, taking him by the hand and pulling him down the hall toward his bedroom. Once the two were out of earshot, Sans sighed and leaned back heavily in his chair.

"Geez... What a pain in the ass. Humans are too sensitive," he grumbled, and Toriel frowned over at him, shaking her head. "...nh. It's not just us humans are mean to, y'know? They're mean to their own kind for the dumbest shit. Who gives a shit if they're bigger or smaller or whatever?" He raised his hands and shrugged, then grumpily shoved his hands into his pockets. "...Papyrus didn't know."

"No, he did not. But that does not mean that he owes any less of an apology, does it?" Sans averted his eyes then, browbones furrowing and mouth turning down into a small frown. Sighing, she set Frisk's phone aside and picked up her own, quickly entering the number Lena had given them. She paused, then opened up a message and sent the number to Sans. When his phone went off, he pulled it out, raising a browbone at the queen from across the table, who merely smiled. "Your brother wishes to be her friend, does he not? I am sure he would like having her number, then." Nodding slowly, Sans' thumb hovered over his screen for a moment, then he quickly added it to his contacts, shoving the device back into his pocket. Toriel seemed pleased with that and she got up and started to clean up the dinner dishes.

Sans crossed into the livingroom and flopped back onto the couch, closing his eyesockets tiredly. _'Yeah, I'm fine. It's... What? It's nothing new?'_ That was a thought he had frequently. The tiredness, the constant looks over his shoulder, the nightmares. It was all nothing new. _'I hope she'll forgive Papyrus... He really likes her. 'n so does the kid. And Tori...'_ Playing games, seeing her laugh with his brother and precious friend, gave him a little glimpse into her soul. It was warm, and soft, and her expression when she spoke to those closest to him moved his soul in ways he didn't expect. He had the feeling that, if he'd decided to carry out judgement on her, then her karmic damage would be minimal...maybe even nothing at all. _'But I don't do that anymore, huh.'_ The sounds of his brother's voice excitedly talking from Frisk's room brought a smile to his lips, and he sighed, pulling out his phone.

' _It's nothin' new.'_

* * *

The drive home had been a bit of a blur, what with the stops by the post office to pick up boxes and packing tape, and by the time Lena walked in the door of her friend's house, she felt exhausted. The nice dinner she'd been hoping for had been...lovely. She'd had more fun than she'd expected, and she'd felt like a part of their group, laughing with them and playing games. But then... Then she had to go and get upset, by being overly sensitive. _'He didn't mean it like that... I was just being ridiculous.'_ She tried to blame the experience at the store for her sensitivity, but she knew that wasn't it. The fact that someone she liked had said it had made it worse. She suddenly felt like crying, and she pushed the urge away, taking a deep breath and walking past the living room quickly to go to her room. With the door closed, she leaned against it for a moment, closing her eyes and letting the feeling wash over her. She told herself over and over that he hadn't meant it, but it didn't seem to lessen the blow any. Sighing heavily, she dropped her bag, the folded up boxes, and plastic bag of packing tape, and walked over to flop down onto her bed.

A faint buzz in her pocket pulled her from her thoughts and she frowned, rolling over just enough to reach into her pocket and pull out her phone. The screen read that there were two messages waiting for her. Curious, she opened the first one.

| **Unknown number:** Hello my child. This is Toriel. I hope that you have gotten home safely. Frisk and I both have your cell phone number now. I am so thankful to have had you over this evening. I wish it had ended better, though. Please feel free to come over at any time tomorrow. Frisk is quite excited to play in the snow! -Toriel |

Smiling, Lena quickly saved the number as Toriel's and sent a quick reply, telling her that she'd gotten home safe and that she'd call her in the morning. Switching to the second message, her lips pulled down into a small, confused frown.

| **Unknown number:** * knock knock |

Hesitant, she sent a reply.

| **Lena:** Who's there? |

| **Unknown number:** * dishes |

| **Lena:** Dishes who? |

| **Unknown number:** * dishes a very bad joke. |

Lena cracked a small smile and saved the number. There was only one person that could be.

| **Lena:** You're right, that was pretty bad. |

| **Sans:** * hey, so long as i can dish it out. |

| **Lena:** That one was barely even a pun! |

| **Sans:** * yeah, well, sorry if it's not your cup of tea. |

Lena rolled her eyes and flopped back onto her bed, unable to fight the tiny smile that tugged up at the corners of her mouth. _'If I didn't know better, I would think he's trying to cheer me up.'_ Sighing, she pushed herself up and off of her bed, getting ready for bed. She stripped off her clothes and placed them carefully in her laundry hamper, turning to her dresser and, after a moment of rummaging, pulled out a pair of pajamas. She'd just finished getting dressed in them when her phone buzzed again.

| **Sans:** * so about that thing papyrus said... |

| **Sans:** * he didn't know it was considered insulting. |

She frowned, fingers twitching more tightly around her phone, and she let out a slow breath.

| **Sans:** * 'm sure you already know that, but he's really sorry. |

| **Sans:** * just between you and me, he thinks you hate him now. |

| **Sans:** * you don't, right? |

Pausing just a moment, she let her thumbs tap against the screen's keyoard quickly, typing out a message.

| **Lena:** No, of course not! I shouldn't have gotten so upset... Sorry. |

| **Sans:** * what're you apologizin' for? |

| **Lena:** For upsetting your brother... I don't hate him. I could never hate him. He's such a sweetheart! |

| **Lena:** He's so awesome. |

| **Sans:** * yeah he is really awesome. the coolest. |

| **Sans:** * glad we're on the same page here. |

| **Sans:** * tori wants to know if you're still gonna come over tomorrow. papyrus and frisk're wantin' to play in the snow with ya. |

| **Lena:** Of course! Will you be there, too? |

| **Lena:** Snowball fight, skeletons vs. humans? |

Sans chuckled to himself, his grin tipping up even higher.

| **Sans:** * be careful what you wish for kid. you're gonna be destroyed. |

| **Lena:** Don't underestimate me! I'm bad to the _bone._ |

This pulled a small, genuine laugh from him, and he snorted in his attempt to hold it back. Toriel glanced over at him from her spot in the kitchen where she was doing the dishes, and he pulled his hood up around his skull, quickly tapping back a reply.

| **Sans:** * you're on. |


	7. Chapter 7

[[ _Jamie is a slut for my writing, and I always aim to chapters in one day...wow. And here I a, at the end of that day, working on a third! I hope you know how much I love you, Jamie! And thanks for all of the awesome fanart! Like wow. Just. Amaze. Much excite. Very art. Wow._ ]]

* * *

Lena set her phone on her bedside table, plugging it in to its charger so the battery could recharge. "Hey!" a huffed whisper came from the door seconds before it opened, and Brit poked her head in, her hair slicked back and wet. She'd just gotten out of the shower, from the looks at it, a towel clung loosely to her body. Lena allowed her eyes to roam over it for all but a second before she turned away, frowning slightly. "Didn't know you were back yet," she said, walking across the room to the closet, where she pulled out one of Lena's sweaters. "So how'd it go?" She allowed the towel to drop, pooling at her feet, and she pulled the sweater on over her head, hair sticking up slightly in unsightly angles after it finally popped out from the neckhole.

"Mphh... It was okay. Great, actually, for most of it..." Now dressed in her sweater, Brit sauntered across the room and sat on the edge of her bed, raising a brow at her.

"...Buuuuuuuuuuut?" she drawled out, leaning over to lay her head on Lena's lap.

"...Well, Sans and I went to the store-"

"Ooooh~"

"Hush! So we went to the store, and this guy called me a...'fatass'. Then Papyrus said I have 'the most meat on my bones' out of everyone there." Brit made a small noise of unease that escaped her throat, and she frowned deeply. "He didn't mean it like that! It just... Still kinda stung...heheh." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, pulling out her phone to fiddle with it for a just a moment, and Brit laid over to drape herself across her back.

"People suck. I can't believe they would say that... You're perfect, babe!"

"Heh, thanks." She chuckled, then groaned, throwing an arm across her eyes. "Ugh... I need to get packing. Toriel said that she would take care of the arrangements for me to get a place there..." Brit hummed lightly, sitting up and glancing at the stack of boxes lying on the floor.

"Well then, we'd better get started, huh?" She got up and padded across the room to the boxes, folding one open and grabbing a roll of packing tape to tape the bottom. "You wanna start putting your clothes in here?" she asked, and Lena glanced over at her, frowning slightly.

"You're not mad...?"

"Hmm..." Brit hummed softly, grinning. "Nah, babe. You do what you want to do. If this is what you feel is right, then I'm behind you all the way... Now gimme that the clothes in that top drawer!" Smiling, she got up and walked over to the dresser, opening up the top drawer and grabbing everything she could hold in her arms, dropping them into the box. "Y'know that we're gonna be coming to visit sometime soon, right?"

"Yeah, of course! I'd be upset if you didn't... And maybe I could babysit for you guys sometime."

"Ooh, I like the sound of that! That'd give us some date time..."

The two of them carried on like that, talking back and forth between eachother for hours, slowly and casually packing up the rest of Lena's belongings. After the last few things were put away, they both laid sprawled out on her bed, limbs tangled together loosely, Brit resting her head on Lena's chest. "Gonna miss you babe," the short-haired woman muttered gently, fingers trailing up and down the other womans' arm. Lena sighed a quiet laugh, closing her eyes. "You're gonna have so much fun there. You're gonna be able to work with so many monsters, and eventually you can teach at the school, and you'll be close to your new friends..." Sitting up slightly, Brit gave a pointed grin, eyes half-lidded lazily. "And you're still close enough that I can come pester you anytime I want. ...You sure you don't want us moving with you?" Lena shook her head.

"You can't do that. This is your home. Your husband has work here, and your kids' grandparents' are here. I'll be alright." The other woman nodded slightly and laid back down, stretching her arm to reach for the remote so she could turn on the small television set up across the room. The soft glow from the screen illuminated their features, and Brit flipped through Netflix idly.

"How about one last movie-night?" Neither of them could really argue against that. Smiling, they settled down to watch television together.

* * *

"...and Fluffy Bunny ran through the forest, ducking beneath the underbrush and stopping to smell a dainty little daffodil. 'How pretty!' he cried, leaning up to-"

"BROTHER, DO YOU THINK THE HUMAN WILL COME TOMORROW?" Sans glanced up from the worn and well-read story book held between his bony fingers, browbones raising slightly. Papyrus had his brows furrowed, his teeth gritting together nervously as his hands plucked at the blankets.

"Yeah, bro, no prob. She said she was comin'." He turned the page, preparing to read it, but was interrupted, once again.

"BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW? MANY HUMANS SAY THINGS THAT THEY DO NOT MEAN." Frowning slightly, Sans' fingers stuttered across the book's page, dragging across the words as he thought.

"...I dunno, Paps. She just..." He paused, eyelights glancing around the room. "...She don't seem like the dishonest type, y'know? And if she were no good, Frisk would'a known it." This description seemed to pacify the larger skeleton, who quickly snuggled down into his blankets.

"DO YOU THINK SHE WANTS TO BE FRIENDS...?" Sans sighed. It looks like these types of questions weren't going to be stopping just yet. He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, setting the book down on his bony lap.

"It sure seems like she's already your friend, doesn't it?"

"YES, BUT WHAT IF NOW..." Papyrus paused, shaking his head, as if to dispel the negative thoughts. "DO YOU THINK SHE LIKES SNOW ANGELS? MAYBE SHE AND I CAN BUILD A SNOW-HUMAN! AND SNOWBALL FIGHTS ARE ALWAYS FUN! SHE WILL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME WHEN WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN!" His voice was hopeful and at the same time uncertain, and he yawned widely, jaw practically unhinging as he yawned childishly and freely. Despite his attempts to continue questioning his brother, his eyesockets were drifting closed as he nodded off toward sleep.

"Sure thing, Paps. All the fun..." he mumbled gently, face splitting in a fond grin as he watched his brother's chest slowly begin to rise and fall with his steady, sleepy breathing. The book was returned to its special place on Papyrus' nightstand and Sans left the room silently, standing out in the hallway for just a second as he pulled out and checked his phone.

| **Lena:** Finished packing. This room feels so empty now... I hope Papyrus feels better. I can't wait to see him tomorrow. And Frisk, and Toriel, and you. Goodnight. |

Frowning, he felt an unfamiliar rush of warmth settle in his cheekbones as his soul gave a small surge, and his thumbs tapped gently across the screen, hovering for a few seconds before they decided to cooperate.

| **Sans:** * you, too. g'night. |

* * *

Lena couldn't remember what exactly they had watched, but she remembered feeling someone curled around her from behind, an arm thinner than her own draped across her waist. _'Surely her husband is going to be upset that she's sleeping in here with me...'_ she couldn't help but think, even though she knew that he understood perfectly. Brit always had been lucky, having such a patient, understanding spouse. A part of her wondered if she'd ever find someone like that for herself.

"Why're ya not sleep'n?" a tired voice drawled from behind her, and she smiled, rolling over to face her friend, tucking an arm beneath her head.

"Sorry, just anxious, I guess. Go on back to sleep, Brit." She nodded and did just that, eyes slipping closed again, and, soon enough, her chest was rising and falling steadily with her deep, sleeping breath. A fond smile spread across her face, and she sighed tiredly, nuzzling into her pillow sleepily.

How long had it been already, since she'd been living here? This place had begun to feel like home shortly after she'd moved in, and now here she was, getting ready to leave... The small pang of hurt that struck at her heart made her ache, but the promise of newer things and a future masked over that well enough. _'I hope Toriel's school gets up and running. Maybe I can still teach there, even though I'm human... I'm only a semester away from completing my teaching degree. What do monsters teach?'_ So many what if's and questions rose to her mind, tiredly mixing and mashing around until she couldn't tell which was which. She wouldn't be alone, though, right? Brit was still always in her corner, and she had new friends that she'd happened upon and met... If she could call them friends yet, that is. She hadn't known them long at all, but they'd been so kind to her. Toriel, and Frisk, and Papyrus, and...Sans? Maybe. He was a bit difficult to read, but he'd seemed to be lightening up a little bit.

After another few episodes of some show she didn't know, Lena fell into a fitful, dreamless sleep, plagued by the future unknowns and butterscotch pie.


	8. Chapter 8

The first thing his mind registered was darkness, so thick that his eyelights struggled to penetrate it, so dense that he failed to see anything else through it. It seemed to fill his skull and his eyesockets, filling him with a vast emptiness that was all too familiar. _Void._ A shudder wracked his skeletal frame as he groped blindly, hands grasping at his sweat-soaked t-shirt, scratching over his ribs that lie just beneath it. _'It's just a dream. Just a dream, just a dream...'_ Were his eyes even open? He couldn't tell. He shakily got to his feet, feeling along the floor and walls for the lightswitch. It flicked uselessly once, twice, thrice; still no light. Cursing under his breath, Sans felt blindly for his door and, once found, he wrenched the doorknob and pulled it open, only to be greeted with a rush of cold, numbness.

" _Why were you not able to save us, Sans?"_ a voice asked, and Sans let out a sharp breath, whispering to himself over and over that it was a dream, as if the words were a sacred mantra. _"Toriel, Undyne, Alphys, Asgore, Papyrus... Their dust is on your hands..."_

"No, it's gone. Chara, you fuck, you're gone! No more resets, no more games..." A high-pitched, manic giggle filled the air, and suddenly Sans found himself pressed against the wall roughly, a shimmering blade pressed to his cervical vertebrae, and red light flooded his vision. A cruel yet pleased smile was all he could see now.

" _But are you so certain? My soul was trapped underground, but now, with the barrier broken, maybe I'm out, waiting for the opportune moment to strike... Maybe I'll possess your beloved brother!"_ Blue filled his vision as his soul rejected the very idea, violently, the harsh light-blue light flaring up in waves.

" **You stay the fuck away from him.** " Sans' voice was heavy, suddenly much deeper, more menacing, and he shoved Chara back so forcibly that their body bounced uselessly off of the far wall, crumbling to the floor in a heap. "I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone ever again!" Blinded by rage and pain, he stormed forward, grabbing the striped sweater roughly and jerking it upward. His eyesockets widened as watery brown eyes looked up at him, pleadingly, imploring. "F-...Frisk...?" The child reached out for him, arms trembling weakly, then they fell limp, their red heart-shaped soul shattering into tiny pieces. "No..."

" _How could you do this...? How could you? My child... My precious Frisk..."_ Toriel's sobbing voice filled his head, and suddenly there she was, clutching the child's broken, battered body to her chest. Their blood stained her violet and cream-colored dress, her body wracked with sobs.

"Tori, I... I didn't..."

" _Why... Why did you kill him, Sans?"  
"Why didn't you save us, Sans?"  
"Why couldn't you free us, Sans?"  
"Why couldn't you protect him, Sans?"  
"Sans... Sans... Sans, Sans, Sans, Sans Sans Sans SansSansSanssanssanssanssanssans-_

"-ns?"  
"...Sans?"  
"... **Sans**!"

Tired eyesockets shot open and Sans felt his soul thrumming nervously within his chest, magic coursing roughly through his bones, left eye aglow as he prepared to defend himself. Papyrus was shaking him, knelt at the side of his messy mattress, a grin spread wide on his face. He looked eager for something...

"What is it, Pap?" he drawled, managing to keep the tremor out of his voice from the nightmare he'd just had. The larger skeleton clapped his gloved hands gleefully, waving his hands and gesturing wildly as he spoke.

"IT HAS SNOWED, BROTHER! YOU SHOULD SEE IT! IT LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE SNOWDIN!" Ah, of course his childish enthusiasm had to be about something so simple. Sans couldn't help but smile fondly up at him, covering his mouth as he released a wide yawn.

"'s great, Pap. Are you gonna go over to Frisk's house and see if they wanna go on out and play?" Papyrus raised a browbone, then huffed, putting his gloved hands on his hipbones.

"YOU WILL BE GOING OUT WITH ME, SANS! GET DRESSED IN SOMETHING WARM AND MEET ME DOWNSTAIRS! YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES!" With that he hopped up and all but stormed out of the room, closing the door a tad too roughly behind him, but it was out of excitement, rather than anger. Sans groaned, raising a hand to scratch at the back of his skull. It didn't seem like he had an overabundance of choice in the matter. As much as he wanted to just crawl back into bed under the warmth of his numerous sheets and blankets, he had a brother to please. He rolled over to the edge of his mattress and pushed himself up, stalking over to his closet and pulling out his warmest, puffiest, fluffiest coat, which he eagerly put on. He also slipped on a pair of insulated black jeans over his usual track pants, and two pairs of socks. Turning to the door, he paused, then grabbed a pair of blue gloves and beanie before heading out the door.

Papyrus looked pleased when his eyes fell on his brother, descending the stairs toward him and dragging his fluffy slipper-covered feat. His eyesockets narrowed at this.

"SANS, IT'S COLD OUT! YOU SHOULD WEAR SOME MORE PROPER FOOTWEAR," he pressed, to which Sans simply shrugged. Papyrus rolled his eyes. "FINE. BUT I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU COMPLAINING WHEN YOUR FEET GET COLD!" He pushed the front door open and bristled slightly at the cold wind that blew into the warmth of their apartment, shivering. He'd even gone so far as to bundle up, putting on a specially tailored coat on top of his battle body, and snow pants (because, if you're going out in the snow, you have to wear snow pants, he reasoned).

The walk to Toriel's house wasn't too terribly long, but the closer they got, the more Papyrus' steps slowed, until he and Sans were practically walking at the same pace. He looked down at his brother, wringing his gloved hands nervously, and Sans shot up a reassuring smile. "Don't worry so much, bro." The simple words weren't much, but he saw the stress around his brother's eyesockets lessen slightly, and he considered that a victory. "Hey, look, there's the kid." Papyrus turned his head to see where his tiny human friend resided, only to meet a face full of snow. The sound he made was less than dignified, and he flailed his arms a bit as he lost his footing. He sputtered and raised a hand to wipe away the cold snow, clearing his vision to reveal a giggling Frisk hiding behind a snow bank.

"TINY HUMAN! YOU SHALL PAY FOR THAT CHEAP SHOT!"

He was already back to his usual self. Sans much preferred when his voice was boisterous and overflowing with its usual confidence, he decided, and as he watched the two of them run off to play, he pulled his phone from his pocket.

| **Sans:** * snow big deal if you decide not to show today, but papyrus and the kid are excited about it. |

He waited for a moment, to see if a message would be returned, but when it didn't, he shrugged a bit, shoving his phone back into his pocket and strolling toward the house. He kicked the snow off of his already damp slippers and opened the front door, slipping them off his feet once he was inside. He didn't feel cold as much as most other monsters did, but it felt really nice to be back into the warmth again regardless. "Yo, Tori!" he called, wanting to make sure his presence was known, and Toriel poked her head around the corner from the kitchen, smiling.

"Oh, hello Sans! I am surprised your brother managed to get you out of bed so early in the afternoon!" she teased, and Sans chuckled. "Have you heard anything from Lena this morning?" The question was asked easily enough, but there was a hint of concern laced through her tone that Sans wasn't entirely pleased with. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head subtly. "Oh, I see... I sent her a message earlier this morning, but I had assumed that perhaps she was simply sleeping in." So he wasn't the only one worried about the human not coming back. (Did he just admit to himself he was worried about that? Jeez, what was up with that?) "Well, at any rate, I am sure she will show up when she can. She said she would, afterall!"

"Yeah, 'm sure," he muttered simply, eyes darting to the window when he heard a small thud. Snow was sliding down the glass slowly, and he chuckled at the sheepish grin both Papyrus and Frisk gave as Toriel shot them a warning glance. The expression turned to one of mild concern, and Sans felt his eyesockets narrow as he saw Papyrus scramble to hide behind a snow drift, cowering behind it as a vehicle pulled up. "Looks like she's here." He slipped on his soggy slippers again and walked back outside, hands deep in his pockets. He pulled one out to give a small wave as Lena climbed out of her car, smiling apologetically.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" Sans idly thinks that they hadn't set a specific time, but says nothing about it. She closes her car door with her hip, her hands full holding a large thermos and a plastic container filled with...someting, he couldn't tell what. Frisk eagerly rushed over to her, signing frantically and throwing their arms around her waist in a hug. She smiled and lowered one arm to rub her forearm affectionately against the top of their head, giggling when Frisk's hair began to stand up from the static. "Hello, Frisk! Is your mother inside?" They nodded and she smiled, heading toward the door. Seeing Sans, her smile widened. "Hey. Sorry I'm late." He shrugged, a lazy grin pulling up at his face. "Where's Papyrus...?" she asked, glancing around, and it wasn't until a whimper drew her attention that she noticed the top of the tall skeleton's skull sticking just above the top of the snow drift. Sans stood back watching as she carefully stepped around the large pile of snow, kneeling down in front of the massive skeleton curled in on himself, no doubt getting the knees of her jeans wet. "...Papyrus?"

He seemed reluctant to look up, but when he did, the amount of uncertainty in his expression nearly broke her heart. "...I did not mean to..." he mumbled, his voice so incredibly small and so unlike himself that it startled even Sans. Lena frowned, brows furrowing, and she reached a hand out to rest on top of one of his.

"I know, it's okay. I... It just hurts, that's all. There are a lot of people who say those things and do mean it to hurt me. My heart has a hard time telling the difference sometimes..." Papyrus blinked down at her (he was so much larger that, even sitting, with her kneeling down, he still towered over her), browbones furrowing.

"Then... YOU DO NOT HATE ME, HUMAN?" he asked carefully, hope practically weaved into his words, and Lena looked surprised.

"What? Of course not! I couldn't hate you, Papyrus!" Her lips pulled up into a large, reassuring smile as she held one of his snow-soaked gloves in between both of her hands. The faintest tendrils of green reached out from her chest, invisible to everyone but Sans, who stood by the front door watching, eyesockets widened. They reached out for Papyrus, just barely brushing against the front of his coat, where his soul lay underneath, and suddenly his brother's face erupted into a bright smile. Large bony arms threw themselves around the human, picking her up off the ground as he stood and hugging her tightly.

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS, HUMAN! LATER WE SHALL PARTAKE OF SOME FRINENDSHIP SPAGHETTI, IN CELEBRATION OF OUR NEWFOUND FRIENDSHIP!" He paused then, glancing down, the faintest bit uncertain. "WE ARE FRIENDS... AREN'T WE?" Lena nodded, smiling, and Papyrus spun her around a few times before setting her down, setting a large hand on her shoulder as she nearly lost her balance. "SANS! THE HUMAN WISHES TO BE FRIENDS!" Then suddenly there were eyes on Sans, and he shrugged his shoulders, huffing a small laugh, trying to appear indifferent, but his mouth was curved up into a large smile.

"That's cool, bro." He closed his eyes and returned his hands to his pockets, absentmindedly tracing the tips of his bony fingers across his phone's edges, and when he cracked one eye open, he caught Frisk giving him a strange look. Their hands worked slowly as they signed to him.

' _You were trying to see her soul.'_

He felt his cheekbones flush warmly and he immediately pulled up the fuzzy hood of his parka. He really had been, hadn't he? Souls weren't just something you happened to see by accident. You had to really try to look at them. He was more adept at seeing souls than most monsters, sure, but it still took effort. Then Frisk picking the green game piece for her the previous night suddenly made sense.

It had looked green, like a pale mint color, but those were just the tendrils of aura. For all he knew, it could be olive green, or emerald green, or grassy green, or-

He shook his head firmly. _'Why am I trying to picture her soul?'_ Carefully dropping into a sitting position on the front step, a heavy sigh slipped past his clenched teeth, raising a gloved hand to reach into his hood and rub at the back of his skull. Humans were precarious, and multi-faceted. They can appear to be the nicest people on the surface, but could be hiding an ugliness and evil just beneath the paper-thin layer that is their kind facade. There had been enough times where humans had proven this to him to be true, that they could not be trusted. Frisk was..special. There weren't many other humans like them. _'I just don't want them to get hurt again.'_ His eyelights glanced over to where Frisk and Papyrus were gathering up large armfuls of snow, trying to build a snowman.

Suddenly, his soul peaked, and he moved before he could register his body was moving, effortlessly dodging a snowball he hadn't been aware was headed his way. His left eye glowed a faint light blue, and when he looked up to find the source of the 'attack', he saw Lena, looking surprised for an instant, a nervous smile overtaking her features.

"I guess I missed..." she said, giving a small, uneasy laugh. "You said we were going to have a snowball fight, right?" His guard slowly lowered back to its normal levels, and he chuckled, shrugging his shoulders slightly and rolling his neck.

"Yeah. Was waitin' for you to make the first move. But now that you have..." He closed his eyesockets, pulling one hand from his pocket and slowly raising it above his head. Balls of snow began to form, surrounded by a blue, ethereal glow. When he opened his eyes again, his right eyesocket was completely devoid of light, and his left burned with a fiery blue blaze. " **It's game on**."

* * *

The snowball war (far too brutal to be called a simple 'fight', Papyrus had insisted) was much less a team versus team affair and more like a free-for-all. Sans had the clear advantage with his magic, and though Frisk and Lena had fought valiantly, they were quickly overcome. They were currently laying flat on their backs in the snow, chests heaving for breath, every exhale leaving little clouds in front of their mouths that evaporated after a second. Papyrus was trying to repair his snow-Papyrus, mumbling about where its head had gone. Sans, far less physically exhausted, sat easily on the front step, a glint of amusement in his eyesockets as he looked over his fallen companions.

"It was _snow_ competition, really."

"SANS, DO NOT START!" Papyrus barked, trying his hardest to fight the smile off of his face before his brother could notice. He failed.

"It was an _ice_ effort, but in the end-"

"SAAANS!" his brother groaned, and Sans chuckled to himself, grinning. Lena pushed herself to sit up, shaking the snow from her hair, which had long since fallen out of her pigtails and was hanging freely around her face. She shivered, crawling across the snowy front yard and reaching for her thermos she'd brought with her.

"Maybe we should head in and warm up. I brought hot chocolate and cookies!" Frisk sat bolt upright at that, clambering to their feet and tugging on the woman's wrist, pointing toward the house. She laughed and nodded eagerly, struggling the slightest bit to get to her feet.

"I SUPPOSE WE SHOULD. WE DO NOT WANT OUR HUMAN FRIENDS TO FREEZE. ...WHAT IS... HOT CHOCOLATE?" The way Lena looked at him was as if he suddenly had three heads, and Sans snorted as she reached out and grabbed the taller skeleton's wrist, pulling him along.

"We have to remedy this, immediately. I can't believe you've never had hot chocolate!" Sans got to his feet easily and pushed the front door open, kicking off his slippers and shrugging off his heavy parka. Toriel, hearing the door open, bustled in, frowning at the ragged appearance of the two humans.

"Oh, my child, you are soaked to the bone!" She didn't realize her accidental pun until Sans snickered, and she giggled behind her hand. "Pardon me. Please, come in, come in! Frisk, go to your room and change into warm clothes at once. Lena, I do not believe I have anything that will fit you... I am quite tall," she chuckled, and Lena shook her head quickly.

"No, I'm alright, really. Um, here," she said, hesitantly holding out the thermos and container, which Toriel took eagerly. "I made hot chocolate and cookies, if you all want some?" The statement sounded more like a question, and the queen shifted to hold both items in one hand, settling a heavy paw on the human's shoulder and giving a warm smile.

"Thank you! It is most generous of you to share like this. Go, take off your coats, all of you, and I shall get us some mugs!" Papyrus stripped off his coat and gloves and boots, stacking them neatly by the door and pausing to set his brother's things more nicely as well, and Lena followed suit. They were eventually all sat in the living room, Papyrus and a now dryly clothed Frisk on one loveseat, and Sans and Lena on the other across the coffee table.

"SO, HUMAN, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE MOVING?" Papyrus asked, and the human frowned slightly, mulling the question over.

"Well... I already have my things all packed. It's just a matter of when the apartment is ready, I guess-"

"Which will be tomorrow morning!" Toriel entered the room in a flourish, elegantly setting a tray full of mugs of steaming hot chocolate and a large plate of cookies on the coffee table. Frisk eagerly leaned in and snatched a cookie, stuffing it into their mouth, and Toriel scolded them lightly.

"R-really? Wow... Well, then, I guess I can move tomorrow..." Papyrus carefully picked up one of the mugs (which looked tiny in his large, skeletal hands) and took a tentative sip, eyesockets widening almost comically as a grin practically split his skull in two.

"WOWIE, THIS HOT CHOCOLATE IS INCREDIBLE! BROTHER, YOU MUST TRY SOME!" he looked over at his brother, who huffed a laugh, grabbing one of the mugs and taking a swig. He hadn't expected it to be quite so hot, but it was good... Not as good as ketchup, but good. "HUMAN, WE WILL MOVE YOU IN TOMORROW, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" Lena gave a small, nervous laugh, eyes flicking over to Sans for a half a second before she quickly picked up her own mug, sipping it idly.

"I don't want to bother you guys, if you have better things to do tomorrow... I can move in myself."

"NONSENSE! FRIENDS HELP FRIENDS MOVE, RIGHT?" He glanced around the small circle of people, looking for confirmation.

"Right, bro," Sans said simply, giving a lazy grin. "Much as I'd rather sleep in, helpin' friends is what we do." The words had let themselves out before he really thought them over, and he winced inwardly, wondering if he was speaking too soon to call her a friend. The brilliant smile on her face made it a little harder to worry about that, though, and he quickly looked away, raising his mug to take another drink.

"Thank you so much! I... Wow, heh, I ... I'll find some way to make it up to you!"

Sitting so close, Sans could feel... _something_ pulling at his soul. It was warm, and comforting, and he hated to admit it, but he found himself relaxing in spite of himself. He could see Frisk raising their eyebrows at him from across the coffee table, a mischievous smile pulling at their lips, and he pointedly ignored them. They began signing something to Toriel, who nodded eagerly, smiling as brightly as the sun.

"Yes, my child, what a splendid idea! Lena, my dear, we would like to throw you a 'housewarming' party, if you would be alright with that! This weekend is already almost over, but perhaps this following weekend, we could. That would give you time to get settled and whatnot." Lena felt her heart flutter in excitement, her cheeks hurting with how widely she was smiling. These monsters- these people, they made her feel so welcome and cared for... The pure, genuine happiness she felt was radiating from within her soul, and Frisk flicked their eyes toward Sans as they noticed it.

"That sounds...wonderful. Yes. Yes, thank you so much! I'd love that!"


	9. Chapter 9

"C'mon, Brit, do we really have to 'try out' all of the furniature...?" Lena had a hand covering her face in embarrassment, peeking out between her fingers at her friend who, presently, was sprawled out on a rather large mattress, groaning.

"Fuck, this one's comfortable..."

"Britni!"

She laughed loudly and rolled over onto her stomach, being sure to keep her shoes off of the plush pillow top of the mattress. "Whaaaat? You wanna try it out before you buy it, right? Gotta make sure it's comfortable!"

"Well, yeah, but...you've sat on, laid on, sprawled on, and flopped on every single cushioned surface in this store since the moment we walked in," the redhead said, deadpanned, and Brit shrugged her shoulders, grinning sheepishly. "I think you're just killing time so you get extra time out of the house." The short haired woman held her hands up in surrender, sighing.

"Alright, alright, you got me... But seriously, you're leaving me today! I'm entitled to a little extra time with my girlfriend!" The pouting frown she put on made Lena groan, throwing her head back and walking off, away from her friend and toward a section of recliners. "Hey, wait up!" she cried, stumbling off of the bed and jogging to catch up. She slid her arms around Lena's waist, resting her chin on top of her head. "You know what all you're wantin'? You should have enough in savings for it...buuuuuut-"

"Nope. If I don't have the money for it, then I'm going without it," she said, casting a side-eye to her friend who seemed to deflate a bit. "You have two kids. I can live without a bunch of furniature for a while. That's what saving up is for, right?" The short haired woman nodded, and Lena smiled. "Good. Now, to track down a sales person so that I can see about buying and shipping this shit..."

* * *

Sleep had been evasive as usual, and it was apparent, Sans noticed, from the dark circles that rested just beneath his eyesockets. They'd always been there a little bit, but today, especially, they were noticeable. Papyrus was, no doubt, going to ask about them. _'Shit.'_ The dim little white pinpricks of light in his eyesockets glanced over to the digital clock sat haphazardly on his dresser, and he groaned loudly. 10:30 AM. He hadn't yet been able to fall asleep, and now it seemed unlikely that he'd be able to at all. He could feel the lethargy settling into his bones, and his magic felt like cold sap running through his marrow. _'Maybe I can sneak in a nap before dinner...'_ He reasoned with himself, knowing, though, that it was unlikely. His brother was awesome, but if Sans could dare say he had one complaint, it would be how against naps he was.

A strong buzzing noise broke the relative silence in his bedroom and he frowned slightly, shimmying across his mattress and disentangling himself from the sheets to grab his phone. The bright light of the screen that came on once he unlocked it made him squint, pushing out a hiss of air between his teeth. "Five unread messages" was what the screen proclaimed, and he closed his eyes, sighing a bit more softly. Instead of reading text messages, he'd really much rather be asleep. There was nothing better than when he was asleep, blisfully unaware of anything and everything going on around him. His chest had begun to rise and fall more steadily as his breathing had evened out, nearly dozing off. Another buzz startled him 'awake' again, and he growled, opening up his phone and reading over the messages.

| **Tori:** Greetings, Sans! This is Toriel. I am writing you to ask if you are still going to be helping us move Lena into her new home today. The plan was for this afternoon. Please let me know. Thank you very much! Sincerely, Toriel |

The formality of her messages always left him feeling a little uncomfortable, but it was just so 'her' that it would feel weird if she typed any other way. Scrolling down, he read over the next few messages, mouth slowly screwing into a small smile.

| **Lena:** Ew, it's too early. I want to go back to bed. |  
| **Lena:** Brit NEVER wants to wake up this early, why is this happening to me? |

| **Lena:** She and I are going furniture shopping and then we'll meet you all at Toriel's house. |

| **Lena:** She's going to make me sit on every single thing this store owns, I swear to god... |

A light and easy chuckle escaped from him, and he sighed, dropping his phone onto his lap and stretching his arms above his head. The last message had been one from Frisk, one that he'd asked for, but, as soon as he saw the answer, had regretted asking.

| **Frisk:** green |

So his suspicions had been right. The pale green tendrils of aura he'd spied the day before weren't just a trick his eyesockets played on him. _'Green souls are usually associated with healing magic, and are gentle...'_ He shook his head quickly, forcing the thoughts out as he rolled himself out of bed and to his feet with a groan. Today was going to be a long day.

"I'm up, 'm up..." he grumbled softly, getting to his feet and quickly dressing in his most casual, most comfortable clothes. He noted with the smallest amount of amusement that the t-shirt he so happened to grab had "bone tired" written across the front in boney-looking text, and it was so fitting that he had to wear it. It, along with a pair of baggy sweat pants and his usual navy blue hoodie, was his chosen outfit for the day as he shuffled toward his bedroom door, slipping on a pair of house slippers before exiting his room.

"THERE YOU ARE, SANS! ENOUGH BOONDOGGLING, THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE!" His brother's eager and energetic voice made him chuckle softly, nodding his head as he purposefully walked more slowly down the stairs, watching Papyrus tap his boot impatiently.

"Yeah, bro, I'm on it."

"YOU MOST CERTAINLY ARE NOT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU MOVE SO SLOWLY, EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOU ARE NAPPING." A knock from the front door interrupted any more of his nagging, to which Sans was silently thankful, and Papyrus swung the door open quickly to reveal a startled human, hand raised to knock again. She was tall, for human standards, and had incredibly short brown hair, with longer strands just on the top of her head, sweeping over to hang in front of her eyes a bit. Sans narrowed his eyesockets as Papyrus tilted his skull in confusion. "YOU ARE NOT THE HUMAN LENA. HUMAN, WHO ARE YOU?" Her surprise seemed to wear off rather quickly, and she grinned up at the taller skeleton.

"Sorry 'bout that, Lena's in the middle of talking with the furniture guys. My name's Britni, but you can call me Brit-"

"HUMAN BRIT! OF COURSE! HUMAN LENA HAS SAID MANY KIND THINGS ABOUT YOU, AND YOUR HUMAN OFFSPRING!" His choice of wording made the human laugh rather loudly, and she nodded, as if in approval.

"Yeah, I figured. You're Papyrus, right?" she asked, and Papyrus turned to his brother, eyesockets wide with glee.

"SANS! THE HUMAN ALREADY KNOWS MY NAME!" Sans chuckled, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"And you're Sans..." Her tone seemed to drop off a bit at that, and she stepped more into the room, looking down at him with a raised eyebrow, silently sizing him up. He stood his ground, giving her a lazy grin, his eyelights never once leaving her face. After a few tense moments like this, her face broke into a smile. "I suppose you're cool. You seem like an alright guy. Maybe just got a few too many skeletons in your closet." She shrugged and started walking back toward the front door, and it took that entire time before Sans realized her pun, snorting loudly and shaking his head.

"Hey, Lena! They're up!" the new human called, her expression morphing quickly to one of concern as Lena came storming down the hallway, her pale cheeks red with anger. "Woah woah, what's up, babe?"

"They just..dumped my furniture..." she mumbled, and her friend drew in a sharp breath, scowling. Sans suddenly realized that humans were capable of intimidation when they put their minds to it.

"What the fuck?! Why?!"

"Because of, um...where I'm moving to..." There was a long, pregnant pause, and the short-haired human gave an empty laugh.

"Ohhh fuck no, where are they? Are they still here? I'm taking care of this."

"N-no, Brit, wai-" She was already tearing down the hallway, and Lena struggled to keep up with her, leaving the two skeleton brothers watching in confusion. Papyrus looked down to his brother, expression begging an explanation, to which Sans gave a simple shrug and they followed after the humans. Once they got outside, they found Brit shouting at two men wearing moving company uniforms, all three of them looking just as displeased with eachother. Lena was flitting about behind her friend, tugging on her arm, only to have it jerked away as she went into another angry tirade.

"Look, lady, your friend here didn't say she was shacking up with a bunch of _demons_!" The terminology made Papyrus flinch visibly, frowning, and Sans felt his magic boiling within his bones. Brit's face burned a dark red, her eyebrows furrowed so deeply that they looked permanently inseparable.

"Guess she's realized they're the better fuck, when there's guys like you out there. Take your big mouths and tiny dicks right back to that furniture store. We'll move this shit ourselves!"

Oh. Sans really rather liked this human.

He guffawed loudly at the disgusted and offended looks on the human men's faces as they glared at the human woman, who just stood, hands on her hips, her eyes full of hell fire. They were quick to climb back into their truck and speed off.

"And GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE!" she bellowed after them, panting heavily, and it was only then that it came to attention that tears were streaming down her face.

"HUMAN, YOU ARE CRYING! ARE YOU HURT?" Papyrus jumped to her side immediately, heavy gloved hands landing on her shoulders as he craned his neck every whichway to try and seek out her injuries. She blinked up at him in surprise, then snorted and shook her head.

"Nah, I just cry when I get really mad."

"BUT I THOUGHT CRYING WAS A SAD THING?"

"Welll it can be, but overly emotional people, like yours truly," she said, gesturing to herself, "cry over any damn thing. Some people even cry from happiness." This seemed to shock the skeleton, his jaw hanging open wide, and Brit snorted and laughed at his expression. "Well, come on, boys. Lena and I will carry the boxes. You two strong men can handle a little furniture, right?" she asked, sweeping her arm in a sideways motion as if revealing the furniture set carelessly in the parking lot.

Like she even needed to ask.

"FEAR NOT, HUMANS, FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY MOVE IN THE FURNITURE FOR YOU! WE WOULD NOT WANT YOU HURTING YOURSELVES TRYING TO MOVE ANYTHING TOO LARGE WITH YOUR WEAKER HUMAN BODIES." Brit's head snapped up at this with a glower, and Lena dragged a hand across her face, groaning an "oh my god".

"What? Nah, y'know what, big-bones and I got the furniture. You help her with the boxes and shit!" she barked, pointing at Sans with a finger before she turned on her heel, grabbing two of the dining room chairs and looping her arms through them.

Sans sidled over next to Lena, who was watching the entire affair with a frustrated expression. He carefully bumped his elbow into her ribs, shrugging his shoulders. "Guess we should _weight_ and let them do their thing, huh? Don't wanna get in their _weigh_." The look she gave him was one of total abhorrence, and he laughed as she heaved a sigh. Oh yes. Teasing people with puns was probably his favorite.

* * *

"Why...the fuck..did you have to buy such a big bed?"

"Because you picked it out. Remember?"

Lena was standing in the middle of her new kitchen with Papyrus, putting plates and cups away carefully and shooting her friend, who was collapsed on her back in the middle of her livingroom floor, a cheeky glance. Her only response was lazily lifting a hand and flipping her off, which Lena laughed at, shaking her head as she closed her cabinets.

"Well, that looks like everything. All that's left is me putting my clothes away." Papyrus joined Sans to sit on the new sectional that took up a good portion of the living room, though he looked far less relaxed than his brother did. ...Actually, that was probably impossible. The one word that came to mind to describe how the smaller skeleton laid on her couch was 'boneless'. And she'd never, ever, use it, because it would be accepting the dark side that is bone puns. She finished folding up the moving boxes and knelt down by her friend, a look of concern flickering across her expression. "Are you okay...? I know you have back problems sometimes." Brit waved her off, pushing herself into a sitting position.

"Nah, I'm fine. Nothing a good crack can't fix," she muttered, planting her feet and twisting her upper body. Her spine gave several loud cracks in response, and she groaned, feeling the tension leave almost immediately. A shriek came from the couch and the humans' eyes shot up to see Papyrus, hands covering where his ears would have been, a horrified expression on his face. Even Sans looked preturbed, his posture a bit stiffer than it was.

'WHAT IN STARS' NAME WAS THAT?!" he screeched, and Brit raised a brow.

"She just popped her back... Is that not something you guys can do?" The fervent shake of skulls sent the message loud and clear, and she heard a suspiciously mischievous giggle come from next to her. "Oh no, don't-" Before she could finish her sentence, Brit twisted herself the opposite direction, giving another small series of pops and cracks. Papyrus all but scrambled across the back of the sectional, hiding behind it enough that only his eyesockets were visible. Her friend then moved on to her fingers, threading them together before rolling her arms outward, cracking them all at once.

"MAKE IT STOP! FOR THE LOVE OF SPAGHETTI, MAKE IT STOOOOP!" Sensing his distress, Lena turned to her friend, who was now doubled over giggling, and gave her a stern look.

"Brit! Cut it out!" she scolded, and the other woman snickered quietly, nodding her head. "I mean it!"

"Alright alright! I'm sorry, I won't do it again... Ugh, what time is it even? Want me to run and grab dinner from somewhere?" The redhead pondered this for a moment before giving a short nod, and Brit grinned, pushing herself up. "Alrighty, I'll be back." Her knees popped loudly when she straightened her legs, and Papyrus launched himself over the couch, clinging to Sans, who absentmindedly pet his skull. "SORRY! Sorry, I really didn't mean to that time! It was an accident!" She walked out the door and managed to just barely get the door closed before she lost herself laughing. Sighing, Lena sat up and joined the skeleton brothers on the couch, patting Papyrus' shoulder.

"She really is a good person... She just likes to tease people. A lot... Like, a whole lot..." she mumbled, tone getting increasingly lower, and she gave the two an apologetic glance.

"Nah, 's cool. If she's friends with you, then we can tolerate her."

"WE COULD TRY TO BEFRIEND THE HUMAN'S HUMAN FRIEND!"

"Yeah, maybe... I suppose we could take a _crack_ at it."

The look Papyrus gave his brother then was one of absolute disbelief and disgust, and Sans had a hard time keeping his laughter silent. It escaped in little snickers and sputters. He finally lost it when his brother threw himself to the other side of the couch and away from him, sitting closer to Lena, who just rolled her eyes at them.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU."

"Aw, c'mon, Paps. Hey, when we ask her to be friends, should you or I be the one to-"

" **DO NOT-** "

"- _pop_ the question?"

"I REGRET ALL THE THINGS!"

* * *

When Brit had returned with food, Papyrus had taken to sulking in the kitchen while Sans sat _cracking_ more jokes (ew) and Lena played along. For a while. After about fifteen minutes of puns, though, she'd gotten tired of it and joined his brother in the kitchen. The late afternoon was spent with good company and decent-enough takeout. When the time came for them all to part ways, though, the two humans started sitting a little closer. Brit curled up next to Lena on the couch, arms wrapped tightly around her midsection, and Lena didn't talk about the new wet spots that were suddenly accumulating on her shirt. Sitting up and wiping her eyes quickly, Brit eventually left home, leaving Lena in her new apartment alone.

It was the first time she'd lived alone for a long time, and, well... She had grown used to the constant little noises. The sounds of her friend's children running through the halls, banging on doors, laughing, crying, fussing, talking nonstop. She loved it. It made the space she occupied feel just a little less lonely. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't realized the front door was still wide open.

Sans, setting out for a walk, peeked in the doorway and, seeing the human sitting on her couch staring into space, knocked a bony knuckle on the doorframe. She jumped.

"Heh, sorry, kid. Didn't mean to make ya jump out of your skin," he drawled, and she huffed a small laugh at that. The little tendrils of aura were fainter now, and he frowned. "'Sup, kiddo?" Why was he asking? She looked up at him, then down to her lap, then back up at him, forcing a smile onto her face.

"Oh, nothing. Just not used to things being so quiet..." He nodded and gave a small hum of understanding.

"Feelin' _bonely_ , are we?" She gave an exasperated sigh, though her smile turned the slightest bit more genuine. "Hey, wanna come have dinner with me and Paps? He's makin' spaghetti." The invitation was a surprise, and that clearly showed on her face. He raised a hand to scratch at the back of his skull. "If you'd rather not though, that's cool."

"N-no!" she said, a little too quickly, and her cheeks flushed the faintest bit. "Um, no, I'd love to. If you're sure it's okay, that is..." Smiling, he jerked his thumb in the direction of the hallway just behind him, turning on a slipper-covered heel and walking in that very direction.

"Nah, Paps'll love the company. He gets _bonely_ sometimes, too-"

"Oh my god, just stop," she whined, smile widening, and she quickly got up to follow, closing the door behind her.

' _Yeah,'_ she thought, _'Things will be okay here...'_


	10. Chapter 10

' _...maybe not.'_

Dinner with the skeleton brothers had been wonderful. There was lots of laughing and puns and delicious food (Sans said that Papyrus had been taking lessons and has improved greatly since their days Underground), and everything was fun...that is, until Lena returned to her apartment. She finally had a space of her own, and it suddenly felt like far too much. Everything was far too quiet, too spacious, too vast, too open. As her front door clicked closed behind her, it echoed with an odd sense of finality, and suddenly it seemed to really weigh in on her.

She was living completely alone now, in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar people, unfamiliar things.

Her chest throbbed in an uncomfortable way and she sighed, smiling despite herself and locking the door behind her. The deft turn of the thumb-lock was all it took, and she felt her throat clench almost painfully, eyes stinging fiercely. A shower. A shower would help. She made her way through the rooms (it was really much larger than she was expecting, and it even had two extra bedrooms) as though she were lost which, in reality, she was. Eventually she found the bathroom and, after a brief search for towels, reached in past the newly-hung curtain to turn on the water.

The constant patter and rush of the water was soothing, like white noise, and she sat on the closed toilet lid and leaned her head back, closing her eyes, simply listening. Like static. It filled her head, but it wasn't loud enough, didn't drown out the thoughts that slowly began surfacing. Like murky bubbles rising to the surface, popping and spreading their filth and darkness. Giving a sharp shake of her head, she stripped off everything she wore and paused, just in front of her bathroom mirror. Her hands raised to smooth up the sides of her waist, catching slightly on her hips, where she gave a firm pinch, wincing in pain. A heavy sigh, and she closed her eyes, as if it were painful to continue looking at her own reflection anymore. She pulled back the curtain and stepped into the shower, pulling it closed and allowing the warm water to envelop her. Washing away the cold from outside and the stress of the day, she let her head fall back and she sighed yet again. She just felt...dull. Like, inside, she was lacking her usual brightness. Everything felt like shades of grey.

She stayed in the shower for far longer than was necessary, until the water began to grow cold, and she hurriedly yet mechanically went through the process of washing herself. By the time she was clean and rinsed, the water was frigid, and she shivered as she shut it off and reached for her towel. Drying off was a half-hearted effort, and as she made her way to her bedroom, she took a deep, cleansing, and calming breath.

Tomorrow was a new start, of sorts.

She had friends here, even if they were newly acquired, and she didn't feel totally at ease with all of them yet. If she didn't snap herself out of this haze, she'd no doubt end up running them off. Smiling to herself, though it wasn't entirely honest, she dressed herself in a nightgown and fell into her neatly made bed, barely covering the comforter over herself before she was falling into the abyss of sleep.

* * *

"BROTHER, DO YOU THINK THE HUMAN LENA WILL JOIN US FOR DINNER TOMORROW NIGHT AS WELL?" Papyrus asked, just one of many in a stream of questions, his excitement gripping his words with every syllable as he washed up their dishes from dinner. His eyes glanced to his brother who, unsurprisingly, had flopped onto the couch. Sans gave a simple shrug of his shoulders, and he sighed in exasperation. "SAAANS!" he whined, rolling his eyes when all he got was a noncommital grunt in return. Sighing, he set down the plate he'd been scrubbing and grabbed a towel to hastily dry his hands, stepping easily across the living room to look down at his lazybones brother. "SANS, DO YOU... DISLIKE THE HUMAN?" He saw his brother finally open his eyes, raising a browbone at him in confusion, so he pressed on. "IT IS JUST THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ACTING RATHER STRANGELY. YOU DO NOT SEEM TO LIKE HER MUCH, BUT YOU INVITED HER TO DINNER WITH US..." Sans sat up slowly and gave another shrug of his shoulders, raising a hand to scratch at the back of his skull.

"Dunno, Pap... Just not quite eager to jump into trustin' a human, y'know?" He knew it sounded bad the way it had come out, and that fact was only further proven the way Papyrus frowned at him, a noise of discontent escaping him. "We haven't exactly seen the best of humanity. D'ya not remember when we first got up here?"

"I DO..." Papyrus remembered all too well, though he tried not to. It wasn't like that sort of treatment had exactly disappeared since they emerged upon the surface, either. "BUT SURELY I DO NOT NEED TO REMIND YOU THAT NOT ALL HUMANS ARE LIKE THAT..? IF WE THINK THAT WAY, THEN WE ARE NO BETTER THAN THEY ARE." The grumble Sans gave let them both know that Papyrus was right, of course. He frowned, "BUT THAT DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHY YOU INVITED HER OVER HERE."

"I'unno, Paps, she just...looked like she needed some spaghetti," Sans mumbled, wincing at how lame that sounded, even to him. He quickly tried to redirect. "Your spaghetti's the best, Paps, so I had to bring 'er." His brother nodded as if he'd just stated simple fact, and he sighed. "C'mon, let's finish cleanin' up and I'll read you your story." The taller skeleton brightened considerably at this, and he hopped back to the kitchen to finish washing the dishes. Sans couldn't help but chuckle at this, _'My bro's the coolest.'_ Without him to pester him with his thoughts, now, he wondered back to the human. How dim her soul's aura had looked once everyone had gone, and she was alone. Something about it... He couldn't explain it, but it pulled him to act. He hadn't felt sorry for her, more like a sense of sympathy? He could remember feeling alone, and it wasn't fun.

' _On days like this, kids like you-'_

He shook his head sharply, jarring the memory from his mind and letting it fade away. If he kept this up, that's what he'd be seeing in his sleep. That wasn't something he wanted to have to see.

Glancing up, he noticed Papyrus was still washing dishes, so he took this opportunity to pull his phone from his hoodie pocket, pausing for a moment, then opening up a new message.

| **Sans:** * hey, thanks for comin and humoring paps. he's already askin when you're comin around again. |

His thumb hesitated over the send button for a second before he finally pressed it, and he waited a few seconds, staring at his phone's screen. When no answer came immediately, he shrugged, figuring that perhaps she'd fallen asleep, and shoved the device back into his pocket.

"BROTHER, I HAVE FINISHED CLEANING THE DISHES! I WOULD LIKE MY STORY NOW!"

The towering skeleton was standing with his hands on his hips, looking victorious, for having completed such a small task, and Sans felt his grin wide.

"Alright Paps, go get in your PJs and I'll be there in a minute. Fluffy Bunny again?" he asked, watching as his brother's eyes widened in glee, before his face pulled itself into an expression as if saying 'what else'? He chuckled, and Papyrus quickly made off for his room, and the shuffling sounds of him moving around could be heard. Sans heaved a sigh and let his head fall back again, eyes falling closed.

* * *

One of the inescapable perks of working for the school system was having the breaks off. Not being an official teacher as of yet, Lena didn't have to go in for meetings, lesson planning, or conferences, which left her with far too much free time. She'd spent her first few days of the week unpacking and organizing her new space. The furniture had been moved several times, only to be moved back to where it was originally, and she wound up with nothing more accomplished other than gaining a sore back. She texted Toriel often, most of which were the queen wanting to know if she wanted to join them for breakfast, or tea, or lunch, or dinner, to which she'd politely declined. Not that she didn't want to spend the time with them, she was just...still adjusting. Living alone had been more difficult than she'd realized. She wound up leaving her television on at all times, playing some movie or song in the background, just to break the silence. It wasn't loud enough to be a nuisance, but it was just comforting enough that she didn't feel quite as lonely.

Today was Friday, which meant that tomorrow was the 'housewarming' party that Toriel was supposedly planning for her. It would've been a lie to say she wasn't nervous. Being surrounded by people she didn't know always ended up being a little stressful, and the fact that she was now suddenly a new human moving into a predominantly monster area was...daunting. She knew full and well that racism went both ways, and that humanity had not always shown their best side.

It was things like this that she found herself fretting over, watching too closely over a cup of tea she had steeping, only to realize it had been a few minutes too long. Sighing, she threw the tea bag out and dumped in a copious amount of sugar, hoping to balance out the bitter strength. It sort-of worked. A knock on her door surprised her out of her thoughts and she carefully picked up her mug, taking a small sip as she made her way toward the front door. She peeked through the peep hole and, seeing a familiar face, smiled and opened it. "Hey Frisk, what's up?" The child beamed up at her and threw their arms around her waist in a tight hug, which she returned as best she could, patting their head with her one free hand. They began signing and she frowned, biting her lip as she tried to make out what they were saying. "Sorry, sorry, I've been learning ASL, but..." They paused, then took her hand and led them into the kitchen. "Do you...need something?" They nodded fervently, glancing around and, spying the labeled canisters setting on the counter, pointed to the one that said 'flour'. "Oh oh, gotcha! How much do you need?" They held up two fingers and mouthed what looked like the word 'cup', and Lena nodded quickly. She grabbed the lid off of the canister and measured out two cups of flour carefully, putting it into a zip-top bag. "Good enough?" They nodded and smiled up at her brightly, signing 'thank you' over and over again as they headed back out the door.

Unfortunately, they hadn't seen Sans meandering down the hallway, so they ran straight into him, fumbling backwards and landing on their behind.

"Woah there, kid, slow down. Where's the fire?" His eyelights flicked from Frisk to the bag and chuckled, seeming to understand. "Gotcha. Yer mom makin' pie again?" Frisk signed something to him, their hands a flurry of motion, and the skeleton's grin only widened. "Oh yeah? Sounds awesome, kiddo. Better hurry back." They nodded and got to their feet, grabbing the bag of flour and holding it close to their chest, then paused. A mischievous smile passed over their lips as they signed to Sans again.

 _Were you coming to visit Miss Lena?_

Sans chuckled a bit at that, shaking his head. "Nah, gotta get outta here somehow, right?"

 _There's an exit right down the stairs by your apartment._ Their grin widened and they breathlessly giggled as Sans made to grab them, one arm locking around their shoulders as he gently ruffled their hair, mussing it beyond recognition. Hearing the commotion, Lena peeked her head out her still open door and, seeing what it was, smiled.

"You're not picking on Frisk, are you?" she asked, and Sans feigned shock, releasing the child and pressing the back of his bony hand to his skull.

"How could you ever assume such a thing? I'm hurt." At her raised brow, he shrugged his shoulders, grinning widely. "Yeah, okay, but they were askin' for it." Frisk smiled up at her innocently and slowly backed away a few feet before bolting for the stairs, giving a wave over their shoulder at them.

"Be careful not to trip!" she called after them, and once they were out of sight, she sighed. "They'd better not get into any mischief with that flour. That's the last of what I had. I really need to go to the grocery store soon..."

"Nah, they said their mom needed it for somethin'," he drawled, glancing over at her and focusing a bit too hard on trying to see the faint glow from inside her chest. When he realized he was staring he quickly averted his gaze, cheekbones turning a pale blue. Thankfully, Lena didn't seem to notice.

"Oh yeah? I was going to ask her about tomorrow, if she needed any help... Oh! Do you know what I could bring tomorrow?" she suddenly asked, and he shrugged his shoulders. Her brows furrowed and she gave a small sigh. "Well you're certainly helpful, with answers like those." He laughed and kicked a slipper-covered foot at an uneven patch in the hallway tile, giving another small shrug.

"It's a party celebrating you moving in. Only thing I could see you needin' to bring is yourself." Well, that answer certainly made sense. But still.

"Yeah, but I'd feel guilty if I didn't do anything to help... Maybe I can cook something, or... Do you know if there's alcohol allowed?" He snorted, an amused glint in his eyesockets as he raised a brow at her.

"It's kinda your party, kid. You're a big girl. If you wanna drink, go for it." She rolled her eyes at him and turned back into her apartment, leaving the door open, and he found himself standing there wondering if he should follow or not.

"SANS!" If he'd had a heart, it would've jumped out of his throat. Papyrus suddenly strode up next to him, squatting down slightly to be a little closer to eye-level with his brother. "WHAT IS TAKING YOU SO LONG? HAVE YOU ASKED THE HUMAN LENA TO HAVE DINNER WITH US OR NOT?" Seeing the door open, Papyrus easily stepped into the apartment, ducking his head a little to fit through the doorway. "HUMAN! SINCE MY LAZYBONES BROTHER HAS FAILED TO DO SO, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU OVER FOR DINNER AGAIN!" When no answer came, he frowned, stepping a bit further into the apartment. "HUMAN? ARE YOU HERE?"

A thumping sound came from one of the back rooms, and Lena emerged, face slightly flushed, a thick envelope held tightly in her hand. "Oh! Papyrus! Hey!" She smoothed out her hair quickly and smiled, brushing dust from her shirt. Sans felt his soul lurch in his chest. "Sorry about that, I had to climb up into the closet to get to my savings...y'know, short people problems." Papyrus tilted his head slightly at that.

"NO, I DO NOT KNOW. I AM QUITE TALL." Sans snorted and shook his head, watching as Lena's face turned a bit more red, and her jaw clenched the slightest bit.

"Yeah, uh, I noticed. Anyway!" She pressed on, holding the envelope out. "I'm going to the store with this, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?" Papyrus nodded eagerly, spouting something about being low on spaghetti ingredients, and began to pull her out the door. She glanced at the shorter skeleton and raised a brow slightly, expression questioning. "You coming, Sans?"

"...huh. Yeah, guess I am," he said, his usual grin in place, but the highlights in his eyesockets looked just a little bit brighter. _'Just to keep an eye on Paps.'_

* * *

"OH MY GOD, HOW ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASTA?!"

"Shhhhhhh, P-Papyrus!" The entire scene must have been pretty hilarious, Sans decided. His brother was picking up and touching each and every box of pasta they came across, almost lovingly, and the human was losing herself to a fit of helpless giggles. At first, he'd thought she was laughing _at_ Papyrus, but the fond expression she gave him when he had thanked her so profusely for allowing him to join her in her "spaghetti ingredient shopping" just...made him feel like she wasn't.

"LOOK! BROTHER, LOOK, THESE ONES LOOK LIKE LITTLE BOWTIES!" the large skeleton all but squealed, and Sans couldn't help the wide grin that all but split his face as he nodded.

"Yep, they sure do, bro. Why not let-" He suddenly paused, unsure of what he was supposed to call her. He supposed he could call her 'human' as his brother did (afterall, she didn't seem to mind it too terribly), but she'd seemed a bit less happy with him calling her 'kid'. This thought process took less than a fraction of a second, no more than the smallest of pauses in his words. "-them finish their shopping?" It was so cheating, but whatever.

Papyrus looked slightly apologetic then, and Lena was quick to shake her head, abandoning her shopping cart for a moment as she took the box of bowtie pasta from him and dropped it into her cart. "I don't mind it. Tell you what, Papyrus... You can pick out a few special boxes, and I'll cook them for you guys sometime! Does that sound okay?" Sans was surprised by her sincerity, though not so much by the gasp and huge hug his brother suddenly gathered her in. It looked slightly painful; Papyrus was always an overly-enthusiastic hugger.

"THANK YOU, HUMAN! I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO TRY YOUR COOKING SOMETIME!" She smiled and pat his arm, and he carefully set her down so they could continue their shopping trip.

All was going well and smoothly until Papyrus accidentally bumped into a couple of Pyropes. "Oof- hey!"

"MY APOLOGIES, I WAS TALKING TO THE HUMAN AND WAS NOT LOOKING WHERE I WAS-"

"Hey, what're _you_ doin' here?" one of the Pyrope sneered, flames flickering wildly as the two of them turned to glare at her. Lena's eyes widened slightly, obviously confused, and she glanced up at Papyrus.

"I...excuse me? I'm sorry, but I don't understand-"

"This town's for monsters!"

"Yeah, what're you doin' here? Here to cause trouble?" They hopped closer to her cart, and Papyrus stepped between them, frowning in concern between the Pyropes and Lena. "Why're you hangin' out with a human?!" they suddenly directed at Papyrus, who smiled.

"THE HUMAN IS MY FRIEND!"

"What?! Gross!" A small crowd had begun to gather now, curious onlookers, all monsters. Lena suddenly began to feel very small and very cornered. "She prolly couldn't manage to make any _human_ friends, so she thinks she can make friends with monsters!" Sans saw her soul's aura flicker darkly, and he chuckled, taking one step and immediately flashing in between the Pyropes and their cart. "Wha-?!"

"Hey, c'mon, guys. Let's not get too _hot headed_ , huh?" Papyrus groaned, though more quietly than normal as he noticed Lena stepping closer to him, her hand grasping his bony arm. "What's the matter with havin' a human for a friend?" he asked cooly, shrugging his shoulders a bit as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Wha- Seriously? You know how humans are!"

"Yeah, they hate monsters!"

Lena's hand twitched around Papyrus' arm, and her face pulled into a frown, like she wanted to say something, but she kept her mouth shut. Sans heaved a sigh.

"Lettin' your tempers _flare_ up in public like this?" They ignored him and pressed on, the flames around their bodies growing higher and more intense with each passing second.

"Get outta here!"

"Yeah, make her get out!"

"Lemme tell you somethin' bucko..." Sans' voice was even and calm, but something about the way the Pyropes backed up made Lena think that he was a lot more intimidating than he sounded. "If you wanna be racist pricks, go ahead. I could care less. But if you're gonna call out my friend here then, well... **You're gonna have a bad time**." He took a single step forward and their flames all but fizzled out, and they very quickly hopped away from him. Likewise, the crowd dispersed quickly, and he stood there for a moment, his smile still perfectly in place. The lights, however, had completely vanished from his eyesockets, leaving them empty and dark. Lena frowned and stared at the smaller skeleton worriedly, only looking away when she felt a comforting hand pat her on the head.

"You do not need to worry so much, human. You should be smiling!" he said, far more quietly than his usual gusto, and it almost startled her. What was there to possibly smile about?

' _Sans called me his friend...'_

"Oh..." For some reason, she felt stupidly happy about that, and her lips curled up into a wide, bright smile. "You're right!"

"OF COURSE I AM RIGHT, FOR I AM..." he paused to strike a heroic pose, scarf fluttering like a cape in the nonexistant wind, "THE GREAT PAPYRUS! SANS, COME, THE HUMAN HAS TO FINISH HER SHOPPING!" Sans turned then, giving a small shrug of his shoulders and a nod. Noting the look on the human's face, he pulled his hood up quickly, his own grin growing a bit wider.

"Sure thing, bro."

* * *

"Y'sure you don't need to make more than one trip?" Sans drawled lazily, slouched as he dragged his feet behind the human who, currently, was obviously overloaded with grocery bags. She grunted and growled, struggling to keep her arms up under the weight.

"B-Brit always s-says...th-that more than one trip...is for...f-for pussies."

"Hmm... Well, we wouldn't want that. That'd be a _clawful_ thing-"

"N-NOT helping!" He snickered and pulled his left hand out of his hoodie pocket, waving his finger idly through the air and grinning as Lena gasped loudly. The grocery bags suddenly began floating, all on their own, off of her arms and into her apartment. She stared amazed for a few moments before she turned to him with a slight pout. "I was so close, too!"

"And I hate having to work too hard. So it worked out _purr_ fectly," he said, grin widening as he waited for the inevitable reaction.

"BROTHER, YOU ARE TERRIBLE!"

"Aw c'mon Paps, help _meow_ t-"

"STOP IT!"

"If I stopped, it'd be a _cat_ astrope!"

"I CANNOT EVEN WITH YOU!"

Lena simply let the two of them bicker, smiling and rolling her eyes as she headed into her apartment to start putting things away. She'd ended up buying a lot more pasta than she really needed... But when Papyrus looked at her, and his eyes got all big (how even?) and he looked like a puppy begging, how could she say no? She couldn't. That was the problem. Sighing, she opened a cabinet and shoved the thirteen boxes of differently shaped noodles into it.

"HUMAAAAAN, HE WILL NOT STOP!" It was never going to not be amusing to see a seven to eight foot tall skeleton flop onto the carpet and whine like a small child...never. Sans was leaning against the doorframe snickering, the only phrase to describe his expression that came to mind was a 'shit eating grin'.

"Don't worry Paps, he can't keep going _fur_ ever..." She poked her head out of the kitchen and glanced at the two brothers, trying to keep a smile from her face but failing miserably. Sans only took half a second before he realized the pun and snorted loudly, dissolving into wheezing laughter. Papyrus looked betrayed, and he buried his face in the carpet, groaning loudly into it.

"BROTHER, YOU HAVE RUINED THE HUMAN!" came his muffled voice, which only made Sans laugh even harder. "I QUIT! I AM GOING HOME TO WORK ON MY BATTLE STRATEGIES!" With this he got up and stormed huffily out of the apartment. After taking a moment to calm himself down, Sans stepped in, shuffling his slippers across the carpet.

"Gotta hand it to ya, that one was pretty good," he said, raising a browbone. "I thought you didn't like puns." She paused in putting away a box of cereal, her mouth screwing into a thoughtful frown, before she shrugged.

"I don't dislike them, per se... Brit just overloads me with them sometimes. Seriously. And they're not even good. Just... Awful." She shuddered as if the memory was horrifying, and Sans chuckled. "I tell her to stop, and she asks me if I'm going to...ugh... _Pun_ ish...her if she doesn't." He had to admit, that one was pretty bad...but it was also one he used frequently himself. He chortled.

"Y' should tell her you're gonna place her _pun_ der arrest." The human snorted before she could stop herself, hands shooting up to cover her mouth, and she sent him a light glare. "Hey, you laughed. Point Sans."

"We're keeping score now? Who's winning?"

"Dunno..." He fought to keep the laugh from his voice as he continued. "If I say it's me are you gonna be a _score_ loser?" She groaned and pushed playfully on his shoulder, which he immediately tensed against, but let it slide.

"Your brother was right, you are the worst. Making me sit here and listen to this while I have to put away groceries... Out! Out!" She shooed him out of her kitchen, to which he replied by lazily dragging his feet the entire way to the couch, plopping onto it unceremoniously. Without the distraction, he found his eyes wandering around the room, taking in all of the little subtle changes that had happened since they'd helped her move in. There wasn't much decoration, but there were a few picture frames up here and there. Most of them looked like her and her friend Brit, there were a couple with some other humans that looked like they may be her parents (but then again, a lot of humans tended to look a lot alike, so he could've been wrong). There was one of her with a green fire elemental monster, and he couldn't help but chuckle as he recognized her immediately. "Small world..."

He'd tried really fucking hard not to like the human. Past experiences with humans had left him with a biased opinion of them. There have been some that had done some awful things to them, personally. But something about this one, this one in particular... He didn't know what it was. Maybe it was because Frisk had taken to her so much, or because she was so kind to his brother. But he'd even said outloud, defending her, calling her his friend. _'Guess there's no turnin' back now, huh...'_ He sighed and leaned his head back against the back of the couch, letting his tired eyesockets close for a moment...a moment that, apparently, turned into several moments, because when he opened his eyes again, Lena had already finished putting the groceries away, and there was no sign of her anywhere. Just as he was about to get up and leave, though, she came around the corner, looking startled to see him awake.

"Oh! Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you." She sent him a sheepish smile, padding quietly across the livingroom carpet, holding two ceramic mugs. Once she got to the couch, she carefully climbed onto it, settling down with a small bounce before she held out one of the mugs toward him. He raised a brow but took it, looking into it to see a thick, red liquid. _'Nah, it couldn't be...'_ Hesitating only slightly, he took a small slip, and immediately felt a grin explode across his features. "Figured you'd prefer Heinz over hot chocolate," she mumbled, her own mug already raised to her lips which, he could barely see, were quirked up into a small smile.

"Heh, thanks, ki-" He cut himself off when her eyes narrowed at him a bit, and he chuckled, quickly busying himself with taking another drink. "Sorry, uh... Guess you wouldn't prefer to be called 'human', huh?"

"It feels more like a nickname when Papyrus says it, but when any other monsters say it..." she trailed off slightly, frowning. "Lena's okay. Y'know, the name I was born with?"

"Thought it was a nickname, too."

"Ooh, you remembered. I'm impressed!" He shrugged his shoulders languidly, draping one arm across the back of the couch while the other balanced his mug on his leg. "Would you like it if I called you 'skeleton'? Or 'monster'?" His eyesockets narrowed slightly at that, and he felt more than saw her flinch, if only the slightest bit. "Well?" He sighed.

"Point taken."

They sat in a small, comfortable silence, both sipping their respective drinks, listening to the sounds of life outside the apartment. After a while, Lena began turning where she sat, obviously searching for something, hands patting the cushions. Sans chuckled and raised a finger, his left eye faintly glowing a gentle cyan blue, and the remote came floating into view, right before the human's face. She smiled and grabbed it and turned on the television. "Impressive. Magic still completely mystifies me-" She cut herself off, eyes darting over to him and, seeing his grin, groans. "That was an accident."

"S'okay kid, mystics like that are sure to happen," he drawled, raising his browbones in amusement as she shoved lightly at his shoulder.

"Okay, I deserved that, I guess." She carefully leaned forward to set her hot chocolate on the coffee table, fiddling with her fingers for a moment. "Um... I wanted to say thank you, for earlier. You didn't have to tell those guys off." Sans can't help but notice how she says 'guys' instead of 'monsters'. "But, you did! So, um...thanks." He shifts uncomfortably, bringing his mug up to busy himself with. After a momet, he shrugs a shoulder awkwardly, his free hand coming up to scratch at the base of his skull.

"What're friends for?" he asked, and the question seemed to be louder than anything else in the entire room, because everything suddenly seems far too quiet afterward. He taps the tips of his bony phlanges on his kneecap, taking another hearty swig of ketchup from his mug.

"Yeah, you're right..." His eyelights glance over in her direction as her voice says the words softly, and he can't tell what's brighter: her smile, or her soul's aura.


	11. Chapter 11

The day of the housewarming party (alternately titled "THE WELCOMING OF THE HUMAN TO THEIR NEW DWELLING CELEBRATION") began far too early for Lena's liking. It hadn't been intentional, but she'd wound up staying up a bit later than she'd initially intended. They didn't necessarily do anything aside from sit and watch television together, drinking hot chocolate and ketchup as if their cups were bottomless, but something about it had made her feel immensely better about staying in a new place. After Sans excused himself when she started falling asleep on the couch, she'd dumped the mugs in the sink without bothering to rinse them and had fallen straight into bed and into a sound sleep. So it was with no small amount of remorse that she felt around blindly for her phone, groaning as the alarm continued to grow louder with each passing second. When her fingertips finally came in contact with it she snatched it up and silenced it, tossing it back onto her bed and prying her eyes open. _'Just five more minutes...'_ she reasoned with herself, eyes slowly slipping closed again.

Then came the knocking on her front door. _'...So much for that.'_ Rolling out of bed until her feet came in contact with the floor, she stretched her arms high above her head, relishing in the small pops and cracks her back and shoulders gave. At least, this time, the skeleton brothers weren't there to be freaked out by them. The memory made her smile fondly, already missing her friend. She'd invited the family to come and visit for the party, but Brit had said that they wouldn't be able to. (She'd be lying if she said that it hadn't hurt just a little, but she smiled it off as usual.) The knocking came again and she sighed, getting to her feet and quickly making her way toward her front door.

"Coming!" she called, nearly interrupted at the end by a rather long yawn. Coffee was going to be a thing that needed to happen. She opened the front door and was surprised to find Papyrus there, arms already outstretched and reaching for her. The instant the door was out from between them, he pulled her into a hug, and she yelped loudly in surprise.

"GOOD MORNING, HUMAN!" he cheered, giving her a good squeeze that all but pushed the air from her lungs before setting her down gently. "I SEE YOU ARE ALREADY DRESSED FOR THE PARTY!" He motioned a gloved hand down at her clothing and, when she looked down at herself, realized that she was still just wearing her nightgown she'd worn to bed. Her pale face flushed a bright red and she stammered.

"Ah, n-no, these are my pajamas..." Papyrus raised a browbone at this, looking slightly confused. "This is, um, a nightgown... L-let me go change," she mumbled, leaving the front door open and rushing back to her bedroom, closing and locking the door.

Bless Papyrus, the sweet little cinnamon bun he was.

She could hear footsteps moving into her apartment and the front door closing, supposedly Papyrus letting himself in from the cold. After a few moments of digging around in her closet, she quickly pulled on a pair of dark-wash jeans, having to do a few little hops and shimmies in order to get them up over her hips all the way. _'Great, gonna have to go clothes shopping soon...'_ she lamented, sighing. A simple white tank top went on next, with a light-blue turtleneck sweater over that, and she deemed herself ready enough. She brushed aside her embarrassment from just moments before and unlocked and opened her bedroom door, seeing no sign of Papyrus. Frowning, she shrugged and made her way for the bathroom. She felt her face flush a bit as she realized just how disheveled her appearance had been; her hair was sticking every which way out of her pigtails, and her bangs hung messily in front of her face. "Great," she groaned quietly, picking up her brush and quickly setting to work. There was still a lot that needed to be taken care of before the party, so she settled for pulling her auburn hair back into a messy bun, securing it firmly before walking out into her living room.

"Yo!"

"GAH!" Lena yelped loudly, stumbling in her mid-step toward the doorway leading to her kitchen and flailing to grab onto the doorway to hold herself up. The small yellow dinosaur-like monster she'd first met before was standing there, grinning up at her excitedly. She slowly breathed in and out in an attempt to calm her raging heartrate and smiled down at the monster child. "O-oh, I, um...didn't expect to see you in here. Hello. Can I help you with something...?" Their wide eyes stared up at her, grin full of sharp teeth widening, and she couldn't help the nervousness that began to overcome her.

"I heard that Papyrus was gonna be here! Is that true?!" He bounced energetically, and his eyes practically shone when she nodded. "Yo, that's like... AWESOME! Do you know him?!"

"Ah, yes, he's my good friend-"

"NO WAY!" This only seemed to egg him on even more, and he was quickly running circles in her living room. "Aw man, aw man, aw man, aw man, aw man, AW MAN!" The monster tripped and fell, flat on their face on the carpet, and Lena quickly knelt down to help them up. He hopped up on his own with a practiced ease (from being born with no arms, surely) and was soon jumping up and down in her face. "Hey hey hey, d'ya think I could meet him? Huh? Do ya?" The childlike energy he seemed to just exude was endearing and familiar, and Lena couldn't help but smile brightly in return.

"I'm sure you could." She paused, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall, then back to him. "Tell you what... He's going to be here later tonight. If you go and ask your parents if it's okay, then you're more than welcome to come! I know that Frisk is going to be here, and-"

"YES! WOO-HOO! I get to meet the Great Papyrus!" He started running around again, making a circle around her three, four, five times before bolting out the door, shouting a very loud and very energetic 'thank you'.

"Ah, you're- ...welcome," she began, her voice far quieter and trailing off as she realized the child was already well out of earshot. She chuckled to herself and got to her feet, heading into the kitchen to make herself some breakfast.

She'd just managed to get a pot of coffee made when there was more knocking on her door. Pausing in the middle of pouring herself a rather large cup, she slipped out of the kitchen and to the front door, opening it. "Hello-"

"HUMAN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! YOU HAVE NOT ANSWERED YOUR PHONE!"

"...Ah! I'm sorry, I left it on my bed," she said, quickly jogging back to her bedroom and grabbing her phone. She winced when she turned on the screen. "16 missed messages." _'Oh boy... Whoops.'_ Frowning, she turned and walked out of her room as she opened her phone to read the messages, surprising herself when she bumped into something sturdy. "Oof! Oh, sorry Papyrus!" He glanced over his shoulder at her, giving his usual bright smile.

"FEAR NOT, HUMAN. MY BATTLE BODY PROTECTED ME." He paused and stooped down, apparently peering at her coffee maker curiously. "WHAT IS THIS MACHINE? IT WAS MAKING A STRANGE GROWLING SOUND AND THERE IS LIQUID COMING FROM IT. IT IS NOT DANGEROUS, IS IT?" he asked, suddenly sounding protective, and Lena quickly shook her head.

"No no, that's just my coffee maker." As if to show him it wasn't dangerous, she quickly switched it off (the pot was already full anyway) and pulled out the pot, pouring and filling her large mug the rest of the way. His eyes watched her closely, wide with curiosity much like a child's would have been, and she couldn't help but laugh when he began to 'ooh' and 'aah' as she stirred in creamer and sugar. "Some humans can't function without coffee."

"IS IT A NECESSITY, LIKE FUEL IS FOR CARS?" he asked innocently, and she laughed, shaking her head.

"No, no, it's more like... It gives some of us extra energy who need it. Makes us more efficient so we can get more done." He nodded in understanding, glancing between her mug and the coffee pot. "...Would you like some, Papyrus?" The way he beamed at her made her heart flutter happily, and he nodded eagerly. She fixed him up a cup as well (with more creamer and sugar than she normally added) and handed it to him, watching as he gingerly held the cup in his gloved hands. "Be careful, it's still pretty hot!" Tentatively, he raised the cup to his mouth and took a drink, his eyesockets widening almost comically.

"WOWWIE!"

"Pretty good, huh?" she asked, smiling as she sipped from her own cup, moving to sit in the living room.

"VERY GOOD! I WILL HAVE TO TELL SANS ABOUT COFFEE IMMEDIATELY! HE PERHAPS NEEDS IT MORE THAN ANYONE I KNOW!" She laughed and nodded, unable to help but agree that the chronically tired skeleton could use a little boost in his day.

With her coffee downed, she began to clean up her apartment. There wasn't much mess to take care off, aside from washing a few dishes and putting them away, vacuuming the floors, and wiping everything down. Thirty minutes and an entire pot of coffee later, Papyrus was pacing around her living room, talking constantly about...things. She honestly had a hard time keeping up. Puzzles, battle strategies, his internet popularity (that bit made her laugh a little), spaghetti, more puzzles, Frisk, his brother Sans, more spaghetti, more puzzles, spaghetti... She was suddenly wondering if perhaps introducing Papyrus to coffee was a bad idea.

* * *

| **Sans:** * what in gods name have you done to us |

| **Sans:** * papyrus says that you gave him coffee |

| **Sans:** * i hope you _filter_ rible about it because he's driving everyone insane |

Glancing up from his phone, Sans sighed heavily as he watched his brother sprint from one side of the house to the other, picking up laundry, dusting, sweeping, everything he could possibly do...all while talking. Nonstop. A chime from his phone pulled his attention back to the device in his hands.

| **Lena:** I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it... He was just so curious to try it. |

Sighing, he tapped a reply back. He couldn't even be mad because he knew how Papyrus got...he knew full and well that he wasn't the only one who had a hard time telling him 'no'.

| **Sans:** * glad to see you _espresso_ your regret, but you're gonna have to do a _latte_ to make up for this |

| **Lena:** Okay, those were pretty good...as good as bad can get. |

He snorted.

| **Lena:** Don't worry, with how much coffee he drank, he's sure to crash eventually! |

| **Sans:** * what's that mean? won't hurt him will it? |

| **Lena:** No no no, nothing like that. Just that once he burns through the caffeine rush, he'll be really sleepy. |

Sans released a breath he hadn't noticed he'd even been holding, eyelights flickering up to watch his brother, who was chasing after the annoying dog that got into their apartment again.

| **Lena:** I'd never give Papyrus anything that would hurt him. |

He felt his grin twitch up a bit, more genuine, and he chuckled as he texted back a reply.

| **Sans:** * yeah well next time maybe we can give him decaf |

| **Lena:** Good idea... |

By the time he put his phone back into his hoodie pocket, he realized that the small white dog had climbed up onto the couch with him. Giving it an idle scratch behind the ear, his eyelights flickered around nervously for Papyrus, who was now nowhere to be found. "...Paps?" No answer. He got up from the couch, ignoring the dog's small whine, and began shuffling through the apartment, searching for him.

He had to bite back a laugh at what he found.

Papyrus was sat slumped in a chair, apparently having been in the middle of sweeping, because he now held the broom protectively to his chest as if it were a teddy bear. His mouth hung open as he snored loudly (every exhale he gave was a tiny "nyeh", and god damn, if it wasn't already hard not to laugh). Sans might or might not have snapped a few quick photographs before carrying Papyrus to his room, broom included, since he seemed unwilling to let it go, even in his sleep. He peeked in at his brother one last time before he closed the door quietly behind himself, leaning against it and grinning madly up at the ceiling, shoulders shaking with poorly-contained chuckles.

"Man...my bro is so cool."

Maybe coffee wasn't so bad afterall.

* * *

"Frisk, go brush your hair, my child! Sans, put that down! Leave some ketchup for the hot dogs, and you stay away from that salt shaker! Oh, Papyrus, sweet heart, please don't touch the spaghetti. It is fine the way it is... Oh, my, oh dear-"

For such a large monster, Lena never would have imagined that Toriel could move so quickly...or so _gracefully_. Her large feet moved across the floor with the elegance of a dancer's, soft padding noises being the only thing that was left behind as she fluttered between everyone in the apartment. From the way she looked, one might think she was getting stressed out, but her soul was shining brightly, and the gentle flutters of warmth it emitted told another story. Being surrounded by so many people and being in control of the room was something she was used to. It was here that Lena realized that Toriel truly was a Queen, from the way she walked and carried herself to the way she spoke. Soft, but with authority. She commanded the space around her with elegance. _'She's so beautiful!'_

Fidgeting slightly, Lena reached to play with her hair, forgetting that it was pulled up in a bun. Her fingertips brushed her fingertips before she realized, and she quickly settled her hands to fold neatly in her lap.

"Oh, Lena, dear, could I trouble you with a favor?" The Queen paused in front of the human in her bustling and laid two heavy but gentle paws on her shoulders, gaining her attention. "I hate to burden you with this, but do you think that you could run back to my apartment and get the pie off the counter? I'm afraid that, in my hurry, I have forgotten it." Lena nodded, and Toriel smiled down at her, giving her shoulders a small squeeze before releasing her to stand. "Thank you so very much, my child! The door should be unlocked."

"'s not safe to do that, Tori," Sans piped up then, his smile falling somewhat, browbones furrowing, and she waved him off.

"Oh, pish posh! Hurry along, dear!" Lena hopped up and quickly made for the front door, not bothering to grab her coat on the way. They all lived relatively close together, and it was just a brisk walk down the road to where the Queen and Frisk lived. Her shoes crunched with each step, leaving footprints behind her in the already well tracked-through snow, and the air was sharp with a wintery chill. Shivering, she quickened her pace, hearing the sound of people approaching, loud and boisterous voices. She hurried into Toriel's apartment which, as the other woman had said, was unlocked, and made her way into the kitchen. She didn't have to look any longer than a second before she found the pie, only just cooled off. The scent of butterscotch and cinnamon practically filled the air, and Lena couldn't help but breathe in deeply through her nose, smiling at the pleasing aroma.

"... **What the fuck are you doing here?!** "

The voice that came booming from behind her was so sudden, so loud, that she nearly dropped to her knees in reaction. Her heart hammered away heavily in her chest as she quickly whirled around, looking for the source of the noise. She didn't expect to be staring at the very pointy end of a glowing spear, just short of touching the tip of her nose. She could feel the magical energy emanating from it, making the skin across her nose tingle faintly. Her eyes widened impossibly and her mouth immediately felt dry.

"... **WELL?!** "

Her mouth moved, but no sounds came, other than a few choked-sounding gasps of breath, her eyes flickering between the tip of the spear and her assailant, who- ... Wait. "U-...U-Undyne?" she stammered out, voice barely enough to be called a whisper. Undyne's brows furrowed even more deeply, her sneer revealing rows of pointed teeth, until, finally, recognition seemed to flash across her one, uncovered yellow eye.

"Wait a sec... You're the human from before, aren'tcha?" The spear evaporated into thin air, the light fading with it, and Lena released a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding, only to be swept up into a one-armed, bonecrushing hug. "Sorry 'bout that, I thought someone was breakin' into Tori's place. You understand, right?" She felt herself trembling within the monster's grasp, even though the danger had seemed to have passed for now.

"C'mon Undyne, if you keep huggin' the human like that, your girlfriend's gonna get awfully jealous." Undyne turned and Lena looked gratefully at Sans, who was leaning easily against the door frame, hands in his pockets. She laughed loudly, fins twitching with mirth as she started heading for the door.

"Hey, sup, bonehead! Where's Papyrus at?" Sans jerked his skull upward, pointing behind him.

"Upstairs in the human's apartment. Tori asked her to come grab a pie from her place."

"Oh, SWEET! Love me some of Tori's pie! Welp," she said, unceremoniously dropping Lena to the floor, who landed on her behind and stared up at her, wide-eyed. "Later, nerd!" The fishwoman ran off out the door, leaving Lena to tremble in the middle of the floor, staring at the door where she'd just left.

"Hey, uh, you okay?" Her head snapped up at Sans' voice, where he was now standing over her, the slightest look of concern on his face. She nodded her nead slowly, swallowing thickly and taking in a deep, shaky breath. "Good. Need a minute?" She shook her head and got to her feet, willing her racing heart to slow itself. She went back to grab the pie from the counter as Sans stood back by the door, watching her from the corner of his eyesockets. Her soul's aura was flickering violently, obviously shaken. Still, once she reached the door, pie in hand, she gave him a small, shaky smile.

"Better g-get back with this, or Tori will start to wonder where I went..."

* * *

Sans kept a close eye on her for the rest of the evening, even though she wasn't aware of it herself. It took her a good half hour before her soul's aura calmed down, and another half hour after that for her to start acting more like her old self. She still stiffened up around Undyne, but it was less obvious, and she even started smiling around her, once Alphys showed up. The atmosphere was pleasant and vibrant and fun, and Sans found he was enjoying himself, even though the most he did was sip on the bottle of ketchup he snagged from the fridge and lean against the wall, observing.

Then another knock came from the front door, and Lena glanced over to it, excusing herself from her conversation with Alphys and setting down her drink to go and answer it. The instant she did, Sans felt himself groan aloud, browbones furrowing.

" _Ohhhhhhh_ my, would you _look_ at _this_ ~," a robotic voice cooed, and a smooth metal arm reached in and pulled Lena in for a hug. She flushed and flailed her arms a moment, wondering what to do, when she was suddenly pulled back again. The robot? Android? It was beautiful, and was designed like it was wearing makeup, but it definitely sounded male... _He_ held Lena at arms length, eyes looking her up and down blatantly, lingering just a little lower than her neck. "Aren't you just the most _delicious_ creature!" he cried, dropping his hands to take one of her own, letting himself inside and leading her further into the apartment. "You must be Lena. Such a _simple_ name, I was expecting a _simple_ human! But no, alas, I was _sorely_ mistaken, and I _do_ hope you'll forgive me for my _horrid_ mistake!" The attention was already too much, and Lena's pale, freckled skin was flushing a deep shade of red. "Ah! I _love_ you humans, _all_ of you! You are turning the most _delightful_ shade of rouge, darling!"

"Ah...um...er...ehm...uh... T-... Th-thank..you..?"

"Oh, no, thank _you_ , darling. Really, it's a _pleasure_ getting to rest my ocular cams on something so _beautiful_!" Sans rolled his eyes, taking a rather heavy swig of his ketchup, his hand clenching more tightly in his pocket as everyone quickly began to approach the cyborg.

"METTATON! IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!"

"Oh, um, h-hello, M-mettaton... Glad to see that uh...y-you were able to m-make it..." Alphys stuttered out quietly, and Mettaton reached a hand out to pat her on the shoulder, having to stoop quite a bit from the height difference. Undyne just gave a slight wave, an uncomfortable grin on her face as she quickly chugged the rest of her drink.

"Yes, it is so splendid to see all of you, really!" He pointedly ignored looking at Sans at all, turning his eyes back to Lena, who was still floundering before him. "But really, let's talk about you, darling... How would you like a shot at the spotlight?" he asked eagerly, stepping back and walking around her, looking her up and down (again) before he rested a hand on her waist. "You really do so little with what you're capable of, darling. You could do more for your figure, really." The human felt her eyes beginning to water, from the sheer embarrassment and the amount of stress from all of the attention, though she forced a smile and tried to nod. "Your body shape, your size, your stature... Ugh! You could do so much better-"

"I AM SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU!" Papyrus' voice boomed out over the music and everyone else's conversation, and he quickly stepped between Mettaton and the human. "IT IS CONSIDERED RUDE TO TALK ABOUT A HUMAN IN THAT WAY. IT IS INSULTING!"

"P-papyrus...?" Lena mumbled out, but was quickly cut off by Mettaton clicking his tongue at him, wagging a finger.

"No no no, darling, you misunderstand. I know all too well how humans are, my dear, and you simply misunderstand me! This-" He stepped around Papyrus and grabbed Lena by the hips, pulling her close to him, eyes falling half-lidded, "is perfection. I simply meant her clothing, darling, nothing more. I could never say a single bad thing about such a gorgeous body~. Besides, fat-shaming is so 2014, honey!"

"OH, IS THAT ALL? BUT I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH HER CLOTHING-"

"Ahh, but of course you don't. You're still wearing that old thing your brother threw together for you for a costume party..." At this, he shot a glance at Sans, who grit his teeth. He faintly heard the glass ketchup bottle in his hand crack slightly, but he ignored it. "Anywho! This is a party, is it not? Let's party!"

With the attention now fully settled away from her, Lena quickly stumbled into the kitchen, leaning against the counter and breathing deeply.

' _My heart isn't meant for this much stress...'_


	12. Chapter 12

**[[ Note from Brit: Okay! So! I've had up to Chapter Twelve done, and I posted it on my Tumblr for this (and any other Undertale) fanfiction... But I was a huge doof and forgot about updating it here. :( And I'm sincerely sorry for that. So after this mass update (which was, I believe, Chapters Eight through Twelve) it'll be slower updates from here on. I'm trying to aim for two chapters a week, but I'm a stay at home mom of a one and two year old, so my free time is limited most of the time. And sometimes, the muse just isn't with ya, what can I say... QuQ ANYWAY! I've gotten a lot written in Chapter Thirteen already, so I'll post it as soon as I finish it, then it's right to work with Chapter Fourteen! I really really appreciate any readers I have, so please, feel free to leave me a comment, and I'll answer it ASAP! And, if you'd like, you can follow me on Tumblr (life-sans-sin) and drop me an ask, peruse the awesome fanart this fic has so far, submit your own stuff, . I've also got an AO3 (archive of our own) account with the same name as my Tumblr, if you prefer reading things there...**

 **Anyway! Again, thank you all so much for reading! Love you all!]]**

* * *

If there was one thing Sans couldn't stand, it was a vain robot. Something about the guy always seemed to put him on edge. Maybe it was the fact that, back in a few timelines, he'd intended to steal Frisk's soul and defeat Asgore. Traitorous behavior like that was certainly a good enough reason, right? ...That wasn't really why, though.

Sometime through the night he'd switched to scotch, setting the ketchup aside and slamming back glass after glass of the hard liquor. Why? To put his nerves to rest. Every single thing the robot seemed to say only made him want to gasterblast his face to hell. _'There's confidence and then there's cockiness...'_ Everyone flocked to him, though...even Papyrus. Maybe that was what aggrivated him the most. The fact that his brother, such an honest, pure-souled monster, looked up to and even _admired_ that hunk of scrap. He heaved a sigh and shuffled toward the door, pulling a small bag of dog treats out of his pocket.

Maybe a smoke would calm him down.

* * *

"-and so then I told her- Do you know what I said? I told her that wearing anything that gaudy should be considered a crime!" Mettaton laughed at his own story, taking another delicate sip of wine as Alphys chimed in with a small, nervous 'laugh'. Everyone was having a pretty good time (though some obviously more than others). There were a few people who weren't drinking, but even so, there was enough that Toriel and Frisk had decided to call it a night a little early. Monster Kid, who had somehow snuck in during the party, was also escorted home in his own way. Undyne just had to give him a glare and tell him to get going, and off he went.

Lena sat on the couch, sipping her glass of soda idly, eyes roaming across everyone else at the party. It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying herself; far from it! She was just more of an observer, and she didn't like being in the spotlight all that often, like she had been earlier. It had taken her a while to recover from that, hiding out in the kitchen until Toriel brought her a slice of pie and a smile. Something about that motherly monster just seemed to make everything feel better...

After a while, she noticed the absence of a certain short skeleton, and she frowned, getting to her feet. "Hey, Papyrus? Have you seen Sans anywhere?" Papyrus looked around the room and quickly shook his head, then eagerly turned back to the conversation he was presently having with Undyne. "Oh, okay..." She sighed, figuring that she'd get just as much information out of anyone else, should she ask, so she pulled on her coat and headed for the front door. Despite it being a party celebrating her arrival, there was surprisingly little attention draw to her as she slipped out of the noisy apartment, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could. Even that, though, was enough to startle Sans, who was leaning against the railing just outside her door, fumbling with something in his hands. He lost his grip and he muttered a quiet curse as it tumbled down, smashing to the pavement one story down.

"S-sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you..." she mumbled, and he sucked a breath in between his teeth, shrugging his shoulders.

"'s no big deal." He fiddled around in his pocket, pulling out another dog treat and holding it between his teeth. The look he caught her giving him was nothing short of dumbfounded, and he chuckled, raising a browbone. "What, you never seen a dog treat before?"

"Well, yeah, but...usually only when dogs are eating them. Don't they taste gross?"

"Nah, y' don't eat these. You smoke 'em... What's with that look? I'm serious!" he said, laughing even more at the expression on her face. "It's a drug from the Underground... Kinda just relaxes ya."

"Oh, so it's like pot, then?" He shrugged, and she sighed. "It's an herb that has a similar effect when it's burned... I didn't like it much. All it did was make me sleepy." His eyesockets widened at this, and his skull pivoted to look back at her, nearly dropping the dog treat between his teeth.

"You've done drugs?" She shrugged slightly, looking slightly embarrassed. "No way, you're pullin' my femur."

"I was in college and there was this talk going around that it helped with anxiety... People started smoking it a lot around exam times, and I was in a study group, and they passed it to me, so I just kinda...y'know." She turned and leaned her back against the railing, and he couldn't help but notice the slightly faraway look her eyes got. "It's just another thing people judge you for, smoking pot. Humans will find just about anything to hate you for..." She suddenly seemed surprised by her own words and she frowned, looking regretful. "Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't say things like that. After all, I'm one of them, haha..."

"Nah," he grunted, fiddling around in his coat pocket for his lighter. Once he finally found it, he gave a small hum of approval, flicking it open and holding it over the end of the dog treat until it blackened and began to smolder. A burnt, almost cinnamony smell filled the air as Sans inhaled deeply around it (and she began to wonder how he could smoke without lips or lungs). He pulled the treat away from his mouth and held it between his bony index and middle fingers, slowly exhaling a small stream of smoke. A snort drew his attention from the pleasant warmth settling in his chest and he glanced over to see the human watching him, a hand over her mouth to apparently stifle her giggles. His eyelights rolled in his sockets as a lazy grin pulled up on his face. "What?"

"... _Ruff_ day at work?" she asked, pointing at the dog treat. He snorted loudly, closing his eyes for a moment as he took another drag, looking up at the night sky. The stars stood out brightly against the inky blackness, almost as if the cold made the light appear that much sharper. It was beautiful, with the moon hidden from view; a 'new moon', humans called it. He blew out another thin whisp of smoke that turned into a sigh.

"Just _paw_ ful," he said, glancing over at her. "Why you gotta _collie_ out on it?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, only spurring him on more. "Aw, c'mon, these jokes are _poodles_ of fun!" A groan and he felt his grin widen, and he huffed a chuckle. She didn't respond for a while, and he shrugged deeper into his coat, taking another deep drag.

"...What do you get when you cross a bull dog and a shih tzu?" He made a small questioning noise, dragging his eyelights back over to her lazily, where he just barely caught sight of her impish grin before she spoke again. "... _Bullshit_."

The words, coming from here, were a surprise (he'd never heard her curse before, that he could remember), and he coughed on the smoke he'd inhaled, sputtering and hacking for a moment before he started laughing. It wasn't really that funny, but he couldn't stop himself. After a few seconds, he could hear her joining him, until the both of them were left in a fit of helpless giggles. It took them a good ten minutes to completely calm down; once or twice they'd quieted, only to look at each other and fall into laughter again. When their breathing did finally even out and they fell silent again, Lena turned around to lean over the railing, breathing out a long sigh. Sans watched as her breath formed a small cloud, just outside her lips, eyelights flickering as he watched it slowly disappear.

"That was bad," he mumbled, puffing on his dog treat before stooping to snub it out, the ashes drifting and falling from the railing to the ground below. She hummed softly, leaning over the cold metal rail to stare at the cement beneath them.

"Yeah, but you laughed. Point, Lena." Sans felt his cheekbones ache from the width of his grin, and a chuckle rumbled up from his chest, watching her expression turn to one of victory.

"Yeah yeah, your point... this time." She gave a smug little laugh and folded her arms on top of the railing, bending over enough to rest her chin on them. Frowning a bit, Sans glanced over at her, tapping the dog treat slightly to knock off the remaining ashes hanging off the once lit end. "Sooo... It doesn't bother ya?"

"Hm? What?" He gestured at the drug currently held between his fingers and she shrugged. "It doesn't bother me. So long as you don't do it in my apartment or around Frisk, I don't care." He wasn't sure why he felt as relieved as he did. "Ah... If you don't mind me asking..." she trailed off, biting at her bottom lip gently. "What made you want to come out here?" An obnoxiously loud, robotic laugh came from inside and he groaned, nodding toward the apartment door. She chuckled uneasily and nodded, "I see... He is a bit... _much_ , isn't he?"

"He's alright. Just...has a personality that doesn't mesh with mine," he grumbled, shrugging his shoulders and standing upright. "Better go pick that up before someone finds it." Motioning down to the ground below them, he shoved his hands into his pockets and headed for the stairs, pausing on the second step and glancing back at Lena, who was watching him quietly. He quirked a browbone, "Not ready to go in yet?"

"Mmm, I'd better get back in, before anyone breaks anything..." A shiver ran through her and she rubbed at her arms through her coat sleeves. With a small wave, she turned back and returned to her apartment, mumbling a soft 'see ya' before closing the door behind her. Sans stared at the door for a moment after it closed, thinking. His mind felt lighter with the effects of the drug kicking in, and the almost constant tenseness in the back of his skull was gone. His bones felt heavier and he wanted to go and fall into bed. _'Maybe I'll actually get some sleep...'_

Descending the stairs slowly, one at a time, he finally reached the ground floor of the apartment complex. His eyelights scanned the ground until he found the crumbled remains of the dropped dog treat. He stooped to pick them up, the crumbs slipping between his bony fingers, and he huffed an airy laugh. Picking up the pieces he could, he brushed the rest into the grass with his slipper "Good enough..." He turned and glanced back up at the second floor windows, which were lit and filled with moving silhouettes of monsters inside, and grinned lazily. He could go back to the party, but...the thought of going to bed and getting some sleep was suddenly far more appealing.

"Paps is there... Nothin' too bad can happen."

* * *

"HUMAN! I HAVE CONSUMED ALCOHOL!" Papyrus cried, leaning heavily against Mettaton, who had an impish grin plastered across his face. Forcing a smile to cover up the horrified expression on her face, Lena stepped forward and quickly took off her coat, tossing it over the back of her couch.

"Oh...? That's...great, Papyrus..." Undyne was snickering loudly in the corner, and Lena shot her a displeased look just as the towering skeleton lunged at her, throwing his arms around her shoulders in a spine-crushing embrace.

"I WANTED YOU TO *hic* TO KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, HUMAN! PLATONICALLY, OF COURSE! I *hic* AM SO GLAD TO HAVE MET YOU! YOU ARE MY FAVORITE HUMAN, ASI- *hic* ASIDE FROM FRISK. AND BRIT. AND THE HUMAN WHO WORKS AT THE BANK WHO GAVE ME A SUCKER. SHE WAS REALLY NICE. THERE WAS ALSO ONE TIME WHERE-" The drunken skeleton prattled on and on, and Lena simply pat him on the back, struggling to keep herself standing. For being made strictly of bones and magic, he was fairly heavy, not to mention much, much taller.

"Ahaha, I-I'm glad, Papyrus. Um, m-maybe you should go home..." She sent everyone else in the room a pleading look and Alphys, the only other truly sober person left in the room, stepped forward, wringing her hands- claws?

"A-actually, um, w-we need to get going... Undyne, c-can you help Papyrus back to his um, h-his room?" the yellow lizard-monster asked, looking up at her girlfriend with a small, nervous smile. Undyne stared for a moment, then shrugged, crossing the room and easily lifting the skeleton up with one arm.

"Yeah, prolly a good idea. C'mon, Papyrus! Time to go to bed!"

"OH GOODIE! DO YOU THINK MY BROTHER WILL READ ME A STORY?"

"Tell ya what, if he don't, then I will, m'kay?" They left the apartment, their loud voices echoing through the corridor until, eventually, they turned the corner and they faded out. Lena grabbed Alphys' claws and smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, I don't know how I would have gotten him back on my own..." she mumbled. _'Especially if it meant having to admit to Sans that his brother got drunk...'_

"Oh, it's, uh...n-no trouble. Don't worry about it." She awkwardly pulled her hands from the humans' grasp and fiddled with her glasses, cheeks turning a light shade of red. "M-mettaton! Let's, uh, go..." The android sighed and flipped his hair.

"Very well, if we must..." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Lena's cheek, which immediately turned pink. "Ta ta for now, darling~!" With a flourish, he flounced out of the apartment, with a nervous Alphys in tow, leaving Lena standing in her now empty living room alone.

"...Oh boy..." Heaving a sigh, she started picking up empty beer cans, tossing them into the garbage. With another half hour of picking up glasses, cleaning up trash, and vacuuming spilled, crushed chips, the room was finally back to the way it was before the party. She felt exhausted, physically and emotionally, even though not much had really happened, and when she finally fell into bed, it was only a few moments before she was in a blissful sleep.

* * *

| **Sans:** * why the hell is papyrus drunk |


	13. Chapter 13

**[[ Hey! Brit here! I'm super pumped to have gotten Chapter Thirteen done already! And I'm already working on Chapter Fourteen, and am SOOOO excited to get to writing it! A lot's gonna happen, so I hope you all can look forward to it! ]]**

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"Alright, all set!" Lena stood with her hands on her hips, verdant hues scanning across her apartment almost pridefully. She'd spent every available moment from the time she'd woken up and rolled out of bed to that very moment cleaning her apartment from top to bottom. Having so much time off from work had felt odd. She was used to constantly having her co-workers handing off their busy work, tutoring students, helping clean up classrooms, anything that kept her busy. It was almost lonesome, having so much time to herself. She'd been spending it well, though; at least, she thought she did. There were days where she would watch Frisk so Toriel could catch up on housework, which she always enjoyed. Her refrigerator was now thoroughly covered with drawings of sunny yellow flowers and child-renditions of places in the Underground. There was even a few pieces of macaroni artwork, lovingly made by Frisk and Papyrus. There was also one of a single macaroni noodle glued to a piece of white copy paper hung with the others, and the name "Sans" written in Lena's own neat print at the bottom.

Many evenings were spent bouncing between apartments, either joining Toriel and Frisk or the skeleton brothers for dinner. There was lots and lots of spaghetti, and lots of snail pie (which, surprisingly, Lena didn't totally hate). She got occasional thankful text messages from Sans when she convinced Papyrus to try making something new, like fettuccine alfredo and lasagna, and the number of movie nights were endless. Playing in the snow with Papyrus and Frisk, baking with Toriel, and spending time trying to get to know a few of her neighbors was how she spent much of her time. Then there were quieter times, late at night after Papyrus and Frisk were in bed. She'd have tea with Toriel and discuss human-monster relations, or how progress with her school was coming. There'd be mugs of ketchup (and something else for her to drink) with Sans, where they'd spend hours just sitting and watching mindless television, making idle commentary and conversation. Sometimes they even ended up talking about things more relevant. Sans told her about Snowdin, and assured her that it was the real name and not just another one of his puns. Stories about working hot dog stands, and going to his favorite place. Grillby's sounded like a great place. When she'd said so, he'd just shrugged, saying that maybe he'd take her sometime. That had made her happier than it should have.

She'd gotten closer to all of them in that time, including their friends. Alphys was someone more 'her speed', not being too loud or pushy. In fact, she found herself trying to ease the monster into conversation. She always seemed so nervous and unsure of herself, and Lena couldn't help but sympathize with her for that. Undyne was someone she was a bit more nervous around, though she'd gotten over her fear of her for the most part, after a few "lunch dates" with the couple. She was passionate, Lena realized, and energetic, and sometimes those things made her come off as more intense than she meant to be. She couldn't help but respect someone who was so devoted.

Thankfully, she hadn't seen any more of Mettaton since the party. Though Lena was certain that he was a nice enough person, something about the way he approached people put her off a little bit...and maybe the fact that Sans didn't like him affected her view of him a bit. (She wanted to feel guilty about that, but with how thoroughly embarrassed she'd been at the party, she had a difficult time feeling too bad about it.)

"HUMAN! ARE YOU READY FOR THE MOVIE NIGHT AT DOCTOR ALPHYS' YET?" Her front door suddenly swung open, Papyrus standing proudly in the doorway, a pillow and blanket tucked under his arm. He was already dressed in a pair of orange and blue striped pajamas and pink fluffy bunny house slippers, and Lena had to bite back a laugh. "YOU ARE NOT EVEN DRESSED IN YOUR SLEEPWEAR!"

"Ahh, I know. I'm sorry, Pappy... I've been cleaning all day." He seemed to take a moment to look around the apartment, his eyesockets widening.

"WOWWIE, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN! VERY FINE WORK, HUMAN!" The skeleton reached forward and pat her on the head, and she couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at the compliment. "YOU HAVE DONE SO WELL, HUMAN, THAT YOU MAY GET TO CHOOSE THE FIRST MOVIE ONCE WE REACH ALPHYS' AND UNDYNE'S HOME." She chuckled and smiled up at the child-like glee the towering monster had, nodding enthusiastically along with him.

"Thank you, Pappy! I am happy to accept this reward for my hard work!"

"Yeah, you worked yourself _to the bone_ ," Sans said, suddenly standing behind Lena in her own living room. She jumped and whirled to look down at him, frowning slightly. He had a habit of sneaking up on people, and while part of her was curious to how he always seemed to be able to move around so quickly, the rest of her wished he'd stop startling her. Papyrus groaned loudly at his brother's pun, pointing a, for once, un-gloved bony finger at Sans.

"YOU WILL BE UNINVITED IF YOU KEEP THAT UP!" The smaller skeleton gave a shrug of his shoulders, glancing over at the human with a quirk of his browbone.

"So, you gonna wear that to the sleepover?" he asked, and Lena quickly looked down at herself, then down at Sans, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you gonna wear that?" She gestured down at what he was wearing, which was his typical attire: his navy blue hoodie, t-shirt and track pants. His slippers, for once, were traded out for a pair of worn sneakers. The laces were left untied, dangling uselessly down the sides. She rolled her eyes and gestured to her bedroom. "Gimme just a sec and I'll get ready." With that she quickly made her way into her bedroom, closing and locking the door tightly behind her before turning to her closet. _'What to wear, what to wear...'_ She flipped through the various articles on hangers, brows furrowing as she thought. Eventually she decided on a pair of loose black sweatpants and a fitted dark green long sleeved shirt, with the words "need more sleep" printed across the front. After pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail and pulling on her fuzziest pair of socks and slippers, she emerged from her bedroom feeling like the epitome of comfort. Papyrus applauded and grinned eagerly, sweeping the human into a hug.

"VERY GOOD JOB, HUMAN. I AM PROUD OF YOU! NOW WE ARE READY TO GO, YES?" She giggled and nodded as she was carefully put down. "EXCELLENT! BROTHER, AM I DRIVING?" he asked, turning now to Sans, who was fiddling with his phone in his pocket boredly. Realizing after a second that he was being spoken to, he glanced up at Papyrus and gave a lazy shrug of his shoulders. "VERY WELL! TO THE CAR!" He ran out of the apartment, leading the way like a general leading an expedition, and Lena chuckled to herself quietly as she quickly pulled on her coat and followed. Winter's sharp bite stung at her cheeks and nose as she stepped outside, a shiver running down her spine as the cold seemed to cut right through her clothing.

"Not gettin' _cold feet_ are ya?" She didn't even need to look at his face to know that Sans was sporting a giant 'shit eating grin' and she reached behind her, blindly, to smack him on the shoulder. She connected and he gave a small grunt of surprise before it dissolved into snickering. She must've been showing more of her discomfort on her face than she'd intended, because he quickly stepped around in front of her, just enough to be in her line of sight. "Hey, if you don't wanna go, all you have to do is say so." Lena felt herself smiling at his words, always so genuinely surprised by how quick he was to try and make her feel at ease. Maybe because she was one of the few human friends they all had.

"I'm fine," she reassured, raising a brow at him slightly. "I'm just nervous...but I should really just _chill_ out."

"I WILL LEAVE THE BOTH OF YOU HERE!"

They hadn't even noticed Papyrus drive the car up in front of the apartment building, hanging out the driver's side window groaning. His hearing was apparently better than Lena had thought. She and Sans laughed (at the others' expense) and headed down the stairs, quickly reaching the car. "Shotgun!" Sans shouted, taking a step and, by the time Lena had blinked, he was already sitting in the front passenger-side seat. She hadn't even heard a door open or close. The undiluted look of shock on her face only prompted more laughter, from both the skeletons this time, and she shook herself out of it enough to stick her tongue out at them before climbing in the back.

The entire drive there wasn't all that long, but it felt longer, simply because of how much Papyrus talked. Sans tried to remind him that she had, in fact, met Alphys and Undyne before, but he just seemed to brush his brother's comment aside. She 'learned' (again) that Alphys loved anime, and was what Sans liked to call a 'weeb', whatever that meant. She was also the Royal Scientist, back in the Underground, which Lena actually hadn't known, and she found herself wondering just what she did. Sans seemed a bit quieter at that question, though Papyrus did pipe up and say that she built Mettaton, so it must've been amazing work. Undyne was the head member of the Royal Guard, and the more Papyrus talked about it, the more passionate his voice became, and the human found herself looking at the taller skeleton's face with a mix of awe and amazement. Sans had noticed that fairly easily, and he felt his soul thrum proudly in his chest. _'My bro's so cool.'_

By the time they were pulling into the driveway of a rather impressively large house, Lena had to take a few moments to register that they were, in fact, no longer in Taobh, but on the outskirts, between Taobh and Tristin. They all climbed out of the shiny red convertible and gathered up their pillows and blankets they'd brought, and Sans and Lena just barely had enough time to catch up before Papyrus was already at the front door, knocking on it loudly. He was practically bouncing in his pink bunny slippers, and Lena nudged Sans' shoulder a bit to get his attention.

"You think he's excited?" she whispered, giggling when the short skeleton's face split into a wide grin, shrugging his shoulders.

"So excite."

The front door opened then, swinging inward with enough force that it felt like a breeze had blown past them from behind. Undyne stood there with a sharp, toothy grin plastered over her face, wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a vague anime reference across the front. "Hey, sup nerds! Glad you could make it!" Her arm looped out and wrapped around Papyrus' neck, pulling him inside and rubbing the knuckles of her free hand against the top of his skull.

"PLEASE DO NOT NOOGIE THE SKELETON!" he whined, though he was also laughing, struggling to free himself from her grasp. Sans shuffled in after them, sparing a glance back at Lena as she hung in the doorway, glance questioning. She shook her head and quickly followed him in, closing the door behind her quietly. "UNDYNE! I HAVE BROUGHT THE HUMAN TO OUR MOVIE NIGHT SLUMBER PARTY, AS YOU REQUESTED!" With the attention now suddenly on her, she gave a small smile, awkwardly fiddling with the blanket she had draped around her shoulders.

"SWEET! Alphys was so excited to watch anime with you, dork!" The 'nicknames' were said with just enough endearment that Lena knew it wasn't an insult, so she just nodded. "Welp, Alphys is in the living room getting that shit all set up. Wanna help me get snacks and stuff?" she asked, though she was already snagging the pillow and blanket from her and tossing it to Papyrus, who fumbled with them a bit before catching them. "C'mon!" Undyne grabbed the human's wrist and tugged her along through the house, heading into an impressively built kitchen. All of the appliances shone with stainless steel, and Lena found herself suddenly very jealous. The fish-monster was already pulling out bottles of soda from the fridge (plus one bottle of red substance that Lena knew immediately had to be ketchup for Sans).

"What can I do to help?" she suddenly asked, feeling uncomfortable just standing there watching Undyne do all the work. The other woman closed the fridge noisily and looked up at her, suddenly looking a little uncomfortable herself.

"Yeah, uh, I didn't really need your help..." she said, raising a hand to rub at the back of her neck in a classically characteristic sign of 'awkward'. "I uh... See, I'm not so great at makin' friends. Frisk was the first human I'd ever made friends with, but the skelebros seem to really like you, and you're pretty cool with Alphys. So, uh... Yeah. Sorry. About nearly stabbin' you in the face before. That was uncool of me." The apology was so out of nowhere and sudden that, for a moment, Lena didn't know how to react. She just stood there, staring, mouth slightly agape, and it wasn't until Undyne cleared her throat that she realized what was actually going on. Smiling brightly, she shook her head, picking up the bottles that had been set on the counter and holding them all carefully in her arms.

"It's alright, no problem. All water under the bridge now, or whatever it is they say... I really like Alphys- as a friend," she added quickly, seeing the look that flashed over the monster's one visible yellow eye. "And I like you a lot, too. You'd be an awesome friend." This answer seemed to more than satisfy Undyne, who quickly threw an arm around the human's shoulders, pulling her into a strong, one-armed hug.

"Hey, thanks punk! That means a lot. Now, go take those out to everybody, and tell Papyrus I'll be out with our tea in a minute!" With that she released the human, shoving her gently toward the doorway, and Lena followed her instructions quickly. It took her a moment of walking around the spacious house to find the living room. It was set up with two large sofas and one large, overly plushy recliner, which Sans had already claimed as his, feet propped up and eyesockets closed. _'He can't be asleep already!'_ Shaking her head, she walked across the room and carefully set the bottles up on the coffee table, uncapping one bottle and holding it out to Alphys, who was fiddling with what looked like a very expensive DVD player.

"Here you go, Alphys!" The yellow lizard-monster turned around very sharply at that, as if startled, and quickly took the bottle, mumbling a stuttered 'thanks', to which Lena smiled. "Undyne said your tea will be ready in a bit," she said as she turned to Papyrus, who gave a nod of satisfaction before returning to looking through the stacks of DVD cases set on the end of the coffee table. She uncapped a bottle for herself, taking a small sip. It wasn't a 'human' brand of soda, so she wasn't sure what she had been expecting. It was just as fizzy and sweet as any other soda she'd had, but the way it spread a little ripple of energy through her was certainly...different. Not unpleasant, but unexpected. She set the bottle down carefully and, after a moment's thought, grabbed the bottle of ketchup. "Sans!" She tossed the bottle just as she said his name, and his hand flew up to catch it, cracking an eye open to look at her.

"You're lucky I caught it. You _mustard_ known that I was awake." Papyrus threw down the DVD case he'd been examining and threw his hands up in the air, groaning loudly.

"I JUST CAME HERE TO HAVE A NICE TIME!"

" _Chill_ bro, we all came to have an _ice_ time. It's _snow_ big deal." Lena couldn't help but giggle at the taller skeleton's expense, watching as his face turned from irritated to brooding to pouting in all of about a second.

"UNDYYYYYNE!" he whined suddenly, flopping back against the sofa with a groan, looking at Undyne, who'd just walked in holding two mugs.

"Oi oi, enough of that shit! C'mon, let's get this party started!" She shoved one of the mugs into Papyrus' hand, jumping across the back of the couch to land heavily on the cushions next to him. It was surprising that she didn't spill a single drop of her tea, but maybe that was from practice. "Alright, babe, what're we watchin' first?" Alphys quickly busied herself with sorting through the thin plastic cases on the table, moving so quickly that it was a wonder she was even looking at them. After a moment, she hesitantly held up three different cases, clutched carefully between her clawed hands.

"I-I, uh...can't decide between these three." Lena stepped closer and stooped down a little to better see the cases. They were all anime, unsurprisingly, but she was pleased to see that they were ones she actually recognized.

"Hmmm... Baccano, Black Butler, or Cowboy Bebop...?" she read slowly, mouth twisting into a small, thoughtful frown. Giving a small thumb, she reached out and gently plucked the 'Baccano' case from between Alphys' claws, holding it up with a smile. "Care if we watch this one first? It's one of my favorites." The yellow monster nodded eagerly and set the other two cases down, taking the one being held up and quickly moving to put the disk into the DVD player.

"Aw CRAP! I forgot the snacks!" Undyne suddenly set her mug down and practically launched herself off of the sofa, flipping through the air dramatically and landing on her feet about a yard away. Lena stared, dumbfounded for a second, then quickly shook her head. _'I really ought to stop being so surprised...'_

"WHAT IS THIS ANIME ABOUT, HUMAN?" Papyrus asked suddenly, leaning over to pick up the empty case to look it over curiously. His eyesockets squinted slightly as he tried to read the back, but he didn't seem any more enlightened, because he turned his glance to Lena.

"Ah, erm... It's hard to explain without spoiling it." He gasped at that, because no, we CERTAINLY do not want spoilers. She continued quickly, "But I can tell you vaguely what it's about! Like, the setting and all that." He nodded and sat crosslegged across from her, leaning forward and eager to listen. _'He looks like a child about to be read a story,'_ she couldn't help but think, giggling and smiling fondly at him. "Okay, well... This happened back in the early nineteen-hundreds. There was something called the 'mafia'. They were an organized crime group, that-"

"YOU MEAN THEY WERE BAD GUYS?" he exclaimed, frowning in disapproval.

"Well, yes... See, back in those times, cities weren't all ruled by the government. There were lots of groups of criminals, called 'families', that had control over different aspects of the city."

"WHY WERE THEY CALLED FAMILIES? WERE THEY ALL RELATED?"

"No, no, not at all. It was called a family because the person in control, called a Mob Boss or The Don, had a name... And all of the people they let join their 'family' took on their name. So, for example... If _you_ were a Mob Boss, and I got allowed into your 'family', then I would introduce myself as 'Leannán O'Brennike of the Papyrus Family'." Poor Papyrus looked even more confused, his skull cocked slightly to one side.

"I DO NOT GET IT. WHY DO HUMANS HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY NAMES?" Lena laughed and glanced around the room, seeing that she now had everyone's attention- even Undyne, who had somehow silently come back into the living room, numerous bags of chips and candy and crackers under her arms.

"It's...well..." She sighed, frowning slightly as she tried to think of how to put her thoughts into words. "...It's like, for protection. When you intoduced yourself that way, people would realize that you're a part of the Mafia, under that particular Mob Boss. Most common thugs wouldn't want to mess with you, because that would mean getting the Mob on their bad side!" The tall skeleton 'ooh'ed softly, nodding excitedly and looking over to Undyne, grinning widely.

"So, in other words..." Sans drawled lazily, eyelights flickering over to Undyne before he closed his eyesockets, grin widening, "...it's like sayin' you're friends with Undyne. If you mess with Undyne's friends, you mess with Undyne."

"Hell yeah you do!" Undyne boasted loudly, dropping the bags onto the coffee table messily and jamming her fist into the air with excess enthusiasm. She hopped back into her spot on the sofa and snatching a bag of chips, tearing it open. "So what you're sayin' is... This anime is about groups of bad guys fighting eachother, and fighting the good guys?" When Lena nodded, she gave a sharp, toothy grin. "Alright! Awesome! I'm so in!"

"It is pretty violent, though, so long as you don't mind that..." the human said gently, glancing at Papyrus, then at Sans. The lazy skeleton shrugged his shoulders, as if that would be a proper response. She sighed. "Well, if you guys don't mind that, then-"

"Just play the damn thing! I'm super pumped!" Undyne shouted, pointing a clawed finger at the television and spilling a few chips in the process. Alphys fumbled with the remote nervously for a few seconds before she was finally able to hit 'play', and she squeaked as a blue scaly arm wrapped around her and pulled her up onto the couch, her face flushing red. "C'mere babe, I got your favorite."

"Heh, th-thanks, sweetie..." Alphys mumbled softly, smiling at Undyne as the settled in close together. Lena watched them with a smile, though a bit jealous. They were just so darned cute together! Ever the unlikely pair, but it seemed to work really well. _'Opposites do attract, or so they say...'_ As the upbeat music of the anime's opening theme started pouring through the speakers, Lena tried to get comfortable sitting on the sofa next to an eagerly fidgeting Papyrus, taking another long drink from her bottle of soda.

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Alphys and Lena both had watched it so many times that they had the words memorized, and they had shared a few amused glances as they waited to see everyone's reactions to certain scenes. Isaac and Miria were a huge hit with everyone, being the hilarious comic relief. There were violent moments, but it didn't seem to bother anyone too much, aside from a startled gasp from Papyrus or a laugh of amusement from Undyne. (Because it was so 'gnarly' and 'awesome' and 'friggin' amazing', and Lena tried not to be too disturbed that she found it so funny.)

It wasn't until the creature known as the 'Rail Tracer' was introduced that the atmosphere seemed to suddenly change. Everyone else in the room seemed to be watching just fine, Undyne having demanded the volume get turned up loud enough that it shook the windows (thank goodness they don't have close neighbors...) to be heard over Papyrus' eager interjections. It was all so loud that Lena almost missed the small but very sudden, very jagged breath that came from her left. Her eyes slid slowly from the television screen, where the blood-covered 'Rail Tracer' was staring down at someone with glowing red eyes and a wide, eerie smile...to Sans. He was staring at the screen with an intensity that, even though it wasn't directed at her, made a shudder crawl down her spine. The lights of his eyes were completely gone, vanished, leaving dark, empty sockets, and his mouth was turned down into what could only be described as a grimace. The amount of tension in his face and in his posture made him look rigid, and the stress emanating from him in waves was almost palpable. The bones of his fingers were digging into the armrests of the recliner and she swore to herself that it looked like they were trembling...

Frowning, she slowly reached a hand over to gently rest on his, only for him to jerk his arm back as though he'd just been burned. He stared at her through empty eyesockets, chest unmoving as he held his breath, his magic crackling within his bones. After what felt like hours, he slowly released his breath as a sigh, forcing the corners of his mouth up into a smile for a brief moment before he pushed himself up from his seat, hands immediately reaching into his pockets. She made a small questioning noise, halfway to her feet to follow him when he turned and raised an index finger to his lips. It was only reluctantly that she sat back down quietly, turning to the television again to watch something that only half her mind was on.


	14. Chapter 14

**[[ Okay... I had to write this chapter twice. I had eight pages of work done, then my computer crashed, and, when I opened the document again, I only had two... Q~Q I really really hope you like this chapter. I worked super SUPER hard on it, and I feel like it's incredibly important. There's a lot of feels.]]**

 **TW: blood, mild violence, (temporary) character death, angst**

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It had taken everything he had not to lose it right then and there. The feeling of cold, hard dread that settled in the pit of his non-existent gut the instant he saw a flash of those glowing, menacing crimson eyes was enough that he felt sick. His magic had nearly reacted to his emotions alone, and it was all he could do to keep his magic in check as memories flooded over him like waves of darkness. Were they really memories, though, or was he just losing his mind? It'd been so long that he was finding it difficult to tell anymore.

The movie night had ended without too much of a hitch. Sans had texted Papyrus letting him know he was taking a walk and they continued on without him. His 'walk' ended at the end of Undyne and Alphys' driveway, where he sat and smoked his way through three dog treats, trying to just _stop thinking about it_. That was the problem with him. (Well, among a million other things, but the biggest one...) His mind never stopped working. Even when he was sitting completely still, even when he was asleep, his senses always seemed to be hyperactive, focusing in on every sound, every slightest shift in magic around him. Every soul's aura, every living being's LOVE, every living being's EXP, all numbers being projected inside his skull and into his mind, was something he was highly attuned to, and he could feel every slightest shift. ...At least, that's how it felt. Sure, sometimes he got a little overly focused on certain things, but he was always aware of his surroundings to an extent.

That's why it was so surprising that he hadn't realized Lena's attention had shifted to him until she touched him. Her hand had been warm and soft, just the barest brush of her fingertips against the back of his bony hand before he'd jerked away. He'd noticed her expression, the tiny dark flicker of hurt that passed over not only her face but also her soul. Was she trying to comfort him? He must not have been doing a very good job concealing how he felt. He needed to work on that. It simply wouldn't do if he started worrying Papyrus. _'Again,'_ he reminded himself bitterly as he made his way back into the house, closing the door quietly behind him. The television was still playing, though thankfully it was something else.

When he found his way into the living room again, he was unsurprised to find that Papyrus was slumped over on the sofa, fast asleep. A bit of a fond smile tugged up at the corners of his mouth and he sighed. Leave it to his brother to be the loudest about demanding they all stay awake as long as possible and then be the first one to fall asleep. _'My bro's the coolest...'_ He glanced around at everyone else and saw that both Undyne and Alphys were gone, probably already off to bed. The human was curled up in the recliner, staring through bleary eyes at the tv screen, apparently not yet aware he'd returned from his little 'walk'. It seemed more like she was staring _through_ the television, not really seeing it at all, like her mind was somewhere else entirely. _'I know how that goes.'_ Taking the moment since he was unnoticed, he tried to force his partially hazed mind to focus enough magic to try and see her soul. Again, much to his dismay, all he saw was an aura, a ghostly green glow. It seemed uneasy, swirling around her chest like someone had stuck a spoon into it and was stirring it without pause.

"Sans?"

His eyes snapped immediately upward and, cursing mentally, he noticed that she was looking directly at him now. He didn't miss the way the pale green swirls seemed to calm, but he decided to ignore it. "Hey," he whispered, voice rough from the smoke, even though he had no vocal chords for it to have affected. Quietly, he cleared his throat and shoved his hands deeply into his hoodie pockets, glancing over the room before his eyelights landed on Papyrus again. "Knew he'd be the first one out." Lena laughed softly at this and nodded, turning to look at the sleeping skeleton with a smile. He stepped a bit closer, though he kept a fair bit of distance between them. He always did. "Didn't think I'd come back to find someone in my seat..." Her green eyes flickered back over to him at that, and she stuck her tongue out at him, to which he gave a soft snort.

"Move your feet, lose your seat."

"Them's the breaks, huh?" he muttered, feeling his tired grin widen when she nodded seriously, closing her eyes.

"Them's the breaks." He shrugged his shoulders because, really, what else could he do? The sage rules of sitting had been stated for so long, he was not one to break them. "Besides, you took so long, I was starting to wonder if you were going to come back..." Was that concern in her voice? He must be imagining it, must be the dog treats. He really should have just had one, but it wasn't working quickly enough.

"Nah, just went on a little walk," he offered simply, and he saw in her face that she wanted to say something, but she didn't. He was grateful.

"Well, since everyone else has gone to bed, that means we get dibs on what movies we put on..." Lena nodded toward the towering book cases full of DVD cases, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Feel like watching a comedy?" He laughed and gave a short nod, walking around the closest couch (and, thankfully, not the one his enormous brother was passed out on) and flopped onto it, sprawling himself out to get comfortable. She hopped up and eagerly began scanning the shelves, and he watched her- or, her soul, rather. How it brightened and dimmed faintly as she got excited about each title she liked. After a moment, she turned away from the case, proudly holding out a single case.

"Sure thing. Put it in." He hadn't seen what it said and, frankly, he didn't really care. If it was a comedy, it was bound to be good- even if it wasn't, bad movies were pretty fun to watch sometimes, too. She moved over to the DVD player and, after only a few seconds of staring at it, figured out how to work it. _'Impressive.'_ She popped in the DVD and grabbed the remote, quickly hopping back onto the recliner, casting him a glance. "What?"

"I thought you'd take the chance to take your seat back, but I guess you're even too lazy for that." He cocked a browbone and faked a frown, pointing a bony finger at her.

"Hey! I don't have to just sit and take that..." He then immediately scooted himself so he was lying down, propping his head up with one arm, and he couldn't help but grin as she tried and failed to silence her giggles.

"You're ridiculous..." she muttered, pressing play on the remote and settling into the plush cushions behind her, relaxing against them. The title screen popped up and a nostalgic look passed over her face. She noticed him still looking at her and shrugged her shoulders a bit, looking somewhat embarrassed. "This is Brit's favorite movie..." It was fairly obvious to him. She missed her friend. Giving her a small nod, he closed his eyes as she turned back to watch the movie.

He didn't remember much of it, but he definitely laughed at a lot more than he probably should have. Watching her face light up and her lips move as she mouthed the words along with the actors made his cheekbones hurt with a smile, and a funny feeling settle in the pit of his soul that he wasn't familiar with. After about an hour, she had fallen asleep herself, chest rising and falling steadily with her breathing. It was rhythmic and silent, and, somewhere in the middle of his observing, he started dozing off, as well. With the dog treats and the company making him feel comfortable, he decided that he'd be fine to fall asleep in company for once. Just this once...

* * *

When he woke up, he found himself sitting in his 'workshop' back in Snowdin. For a moment, he just sat, staring at the blueprint right beneath his folded arms, feeling the smallest sensation of panic fluttering in the back of his skull.

This was a dream. He was going to turn around, Chara was going to be there, Papyrus would be dead, and he would wake back up, like he always did.

"BROTHER! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU LAZY BONES? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT YOUR SENTRY POST AN HOUR AGO!" Papyrus' voice came muffled through the thick walls and Sans felt himself tighten his fists, hard, bony ends of his fingers ripping the paper beneath his hand and digging faint grooves into the wood surface it lied against. He would walk outside and be surrounded by darkness. He would have a nightmare, the same as always, and when he woke up, he would be back in Undyne and Alphys' living room.

The door to his workshop opened and Papyrus poked his head in, eyesockets widening slightly as his sights landed on Sans. "THERE YOU ARE! UNDYNE WAS LOOKING FOR YOU! WHY HAVE YOU NOT LEFT FOR YOUR POST?" Sans sat upright, slowly turning his eyelights up to look at his younger brother, watching as he huffed a heavy, irritated sigh and stepped forward. His boots thudded heavily across the floor, and Sans was all too aware of how the floorboards shook underneath the chair he was sat in. "COME ON, SANS!" Papyrus reached out a gloved hand and grabbed his brother's hand, pulling him up and to his feet and leading him out the open door. The brush of cold, winter air against his face was gentle, and the crunch of snow under his worn, dingy house slippers was far too loud. Everything was so bright, the snow acting like a mirror and reflecting the light from the sun shining warmly overhead.

He was back in Snowdin...

At some point, his lack of movement seemed to alert Papyrus, who had dropped the other's hand, stooping down with his hands on his hips, trying to seem authoritative. The look on his face must have taken him by surprise, however, because whatever lecture or scolding he had been preparing never came, the words dying before they left him. "...SANS?" A bony hand reached out, quick as lighting, and grabbed Papyrus' wrist, turning on his heel and dragging him through a doorway. As soon as they both blinked, they were suddenly standing in their living room, and Papyrus had the right to look surprised. "SANS, WHAT IS GOING ON? YOU ARE ACTING STRANGE..."

"This is a dream."

"...WHAT?" Papyrus was looking down at his brother, browbones drawn together in blatant concern, and with good reason. Sans' typical laid-back grin was gone without a trace, mouth twisted down into a grimace, eyesockets narrowed, eyelights dim. "BROTHER... WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU ARE AWAKE. I WENT AND WOKE YOU UP, REMEMBER? YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT YOUR SENTRY POST. THERE HAS BEEN RUMOR OF A HUMAN BEING SPOTTED IN THE FOREST."

Sans stopped listening, his eyesockets widening, trembling as the words seemed to echo into him. These were words he'd heard before, a scene he's seen before. Despite its familiarity, he found himself struggling to comprehend, struggling to take it in.

' _...I'm back in Snowdin.'_

A dry bark of laughter that bordered on a sob tore from his chest, and Papyrus flinched in alarm as his brother fell to his knees. "It happened again. Fuck... I knew it would. Why did I ever think it'd be over...?"

"SANS, YOU ARE WORRYING ME..." The towering skeleton's voice was small and wavering with fear as he knelt down in front of his brother, hands reaching out, but hesitating, not sure whether he should touch him or not. A pained sound ripped its way from Sans and he fell forward, digging his bony phalanges into the carpet with such force that he could hear it tearing beneath his fingers. "Sans, please... Talk to me." Another wave of agony crashed over him as he looked up at his now teary-eyed brother, feeling himself torn. What was the point of talking? He would just forget again with the next reset. What would it matter? What would anything matter?

"Why even bother trying anymore?" The voice was familiar, and Sans felt a cool tendril of terror creep down his spine.

"...Chara."

"You're not surprised? Too bad. I was hoping to give you a scare!" Sans sat up, ignoring Papyrus' confused sound as he turned to look at the doorway of there home, now holding the silhouette of a small human being. Gleaming red eyes stared back at him, outshone only by the glint of sunlight off of the knife they held clenched tightly in their hand. "It will happen, you know..." they said simply, voice trailing off as their already razor-sharp smile widened even further.

"No...you're-"

" _What? Gone?_ " They laughed, a high, lilting sound, and Sans poorly suppressed a shudder. " _You're more stupid than you look, skeleton. The barrier's gone now!_ " they shrieked happily, giggling in that manic way as they hugged themselves happily. " _Who's to say that I can't escape the Underground, too...? Who's to say...that I can't find you? Frisk? Toriel? Alphys? Undyne?..._ _ **Papyrus**_ _?_ " The instant the name was said, they threw the knife, sending it whizzing straight for Sans' chest. He raised his arms weakly to defend himself, closing his eyesockets tightly, waiting for death.

" _...So predictable. You lot are starting to get boring_."

Sans opened his eyes slowly, confused by the lack of pain, only to feel his soul die in his chest. "Lazybones... You...a-always were...a slacker...San-" Papyrus' voice died out as his body disintegrated, his battle body and beloved scarf falling to the ground heavily, covered with his dust. The last bit of his brother's name hung in the air, uncompleted, and it forever would be.

"No..." He sat frozen, horrified, eyesockets impossibly wide, his eyelights dimmed. Were he capable of vomiting, he felt like maybe he would. His magic burned painfully through his bones, his soul weighted, heavy in his chest. "No...no, no, no, no, no..."

"Go ahead! Try to tell yourself this isn't real. I _dare_ you~" Chara cooed, narrowing their eyes as they stepped closer, and Sans immediately threw himself backward, backing away from the approaching threat. They walked over to Papyrus' dust, kicking aside the bulky chest piece carelessly and giggling as it hit the wall, cracking. "You can't escape, Sans. This is your reality. Accept it. Or else..." Holding a hand out, a swirling, deep crimson aura of magic spiraled down and into his precious brother's remaining dust. He watched as it morphed and churned, rising to take a form of its own, living, breathing.

He found himself staring into frightened green eyes, set over freckled cheeks and framed by messy auburn hair. "Sans...?" Lena fell to her knees, reaching out for him with a trembling hand. "S-Sans, I-I-" Chara reached out and grabbed her by her hair, jerking backward roughly, and he tried not to listen to the pained cry that escaped her, hands rising to try and disentangle their hand from her hair. "Sans, help me!" He tried. Stars, _he tried_. His legs refused to move, his arms were dead weight at his sides, and he slumped heavily against the wall, mouth moving uselessly as he tried and failed to form words. " _Please_ , Sans!" She yelped as she was jerked back yet again, wrenching her head backward, exposing her neck. She clawed at Chara's hand, trying to crawl away from them, only to be torn back as she screamed for him to help her. " _Sans, hel-_ " Her words were silenced easily as Chara brought down their other hand, the blade of their knife sliding through the tender flesh of her throat easily. It was so much, too much, but as the crimson liquid sprayed and flowed from her gaping throat, he found himself unable to look away. Her screams became gurgling cries and broken, watery gasps and she fell forward, hands still reaching for him, him still not reaching back. Tears streamed from her eyes until, finally, they became a faded grey, and she stopped moving entirely.

"Or else...your dreams will suffer," they finished slowly, voice sickeningly sweet, falsely so, and they flicked the blood from their knife easily. "Think about it, Sans." He closed his eyes tightly, feeling the hot trails of tears leaving tracks down his skull and his hands finally moved, bones slick with blood, to grip at his head. "...You're good for that much, at least." With that, they turned and headed toward the front door of his cozy Snowdin home, leaving a trail of bloody footprints in their wake...

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was darkness, the panic rushing through his soul, resonating so strongly within him that his magic was already beginning to react. A rift into the Void was open just above him, the cries of creatures unknown echoing from within. His hand was raised, ready to summon forth the powers lying beyond, and he couldn't breathe. He was paralyzed, body frozen in this position, and his mind was racing wildly. Finally, everything clicked. He drew in a jagged, painful breath, closing his open, extended hand and, in the same motion, closing the rift. There was an ache in his skull that made him feel like someone was trying to crush it, and there were tears streaming over his cheekbones.

He was in Alphys and Undyne's living room, on their couch. The television was still on, the music from the movie's main menu playing on repeat and the light casting shadows across the room. He was back.

He sat up slowly, raising a hand shakily to his skull to rest across his face, struggling to steady his rapid breathing. _'It was just a dream...just a dream.'_ he told himself, eyesockets closing slowly as he released a shuddery sigh.

"...Sans?"

The voice was soft, spoken from not that far away, but its impact on his soul was immense. He felt relief flood through him and he turned his head to see Lena sitting up in the recliner, awake. The room was dark, but he could make out the obvious concern etched across her features. How much had she seen? Did she only just wake up when he did? _'Maybe I can make something up-'_ He didn't know when she got so close to him but, before he could do anything about it, she was sitting next to him on the edge of the sofa, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. He tensed, eyesockets widening as he tried to think of what to say, to do, to make this situation disappear.

...But before he could think of anything, he felt an immense warmth coming from her, far warmer than any body heat. It wrapped itself around his soul, like a blanket, and he felt his chest clench as he suddenly realized he was fighting back tears.

He sat stock still and, eventually, she pulled away, looking at him worriedly. It was hard to meet her eyes, so he stared down at his hands, trying to ignore the memories of them being covered in her blood from his nightmare. Papyrus' soft snoring caught his attention and he looked over, seeing his brother curled up on the other sofa, and he felt guilt worm its way through his skull.

"Let's go outside for a walk," she murmured softly, and he looked back over to her, opening his mouth to say...something, but she had already gotten up, heading off in the direction of the kitchen. "Meet you outside!" When she disappeared around the corner he felt himself fall slack against the couch, releasing a slow hiss of air between his teeth.

It took him a few minutes to move. He pushed himself to his feet and shuffled even more slowly than normal toward the patio door, which was just on the other side of the living room. The door swung open and the cold air blew on his face, so familiar to his dream that he felt himself jump as if startled. _'Not in Snowdin, 'm not in Snowdin...'_ Suddenly he wished he had a throat, so that he could swallow past the invisible lump that had formed itself there. Snow had apparently fallen since they arrived, because there was a new layer covering his footprints from before. He was grateful that the clouds had cleared, and his view of the sky was uninhibited. The stars were clear and bright against a backdrop of a deep navy blue, so dark that it almost looked black. Some might say it was, but he could tell the difference. Once you see the Void, you know what true, black emptiness looks like.

The door opened behind him and he flinched, cursing how jumpy he was, and turned to see Lena joining him on the deck, two steaming mugs in hand. She'd bundled herself up and dragged her blanket out with her, wrapping it around her shoulders loosely. She wordlessly held one mug out to him and, silently, he took it. He'd never thought of drinking ketchup any other way than cold, but the rush of warmth he got from the very first sip had him thinking he'd have to start microwaving it in the winter.

They sat in silence for a few long moments, her taking occasional sips of her hot chocolate (he could tell from the marshmallows), him tapping his bony fingers nervously against the ceramic mug. He knew what was coming. She was going to ask him what happened, what his dream was about...what he had done with his magic. It was a mistake and it was accidental, but he'd opened up the Void in Undyne's goddamn living room. She was going to kill him if she found out. The longer the silence dragged on, the more he could feel himself getting jittery, fidgeting, trying to break the constant stream of negative possibilities in his mind. Carefully, Lena set down her mug on the cold cement and sighed, her breath a small, soft cloud in the chill air. This was it. She was going to ask those impossible questions, and he was going to lose everything.

"One time, when I was little, I saw this movie about clowns..." Her words startled him, then confused him, and he turned to look at her with a browbone cocked, mouth twisted down into a frown. "It was called 'It'... Really creative name, huh? Stephen King is one of Brit's favorite authors, but I never could understand why he chose a name like that..." She chuckled slightly and shrugged her shoulders, tapping her fingertips lightly against her knees. "So, in this movie, there's these kids that end up getting killed by this clown. Pennywise was his name. I knew it wasn't a real thing. I mean, it's a movie...but still, for whatever reason, I couldn't get it out of my head. I started avoiding street drains, and I was terrified to go anywhere near the shower or sink drain for weeks after I first saw it...because, in the movie, that was where he came out and got them." She had a slightly embarrassed look on her face as she sent a small smile over at him, then she continued speaking, her voice soft.

"Other scary movies got to me like that, too. I walk really quickly up and down stairs that have openings between each step, because I'd always imagine that hands would reach out between them and grab my ankles... I mean, I'm an adult, and I still do that. Just like how, when I get up to turn my light off before bed, I flick it off _really_ quick and jump into bed as fast as I can, because the scary things can't get you if you're in bed, and they only come out in the dark!" She laughed at her own silliness, and Sans felt his mouth twitch up into the faintest of smiles. After a moment of silence, she sighed. "There are other things that I'm scared of, that don't come from scary movies. Like... I'm afraid of the dark." She stared down at her lap, picking at her sweatpants, then looking up to the stars. "When I was younger, a couple of cousins locked me in a cabinet in a spare room. They turned off all the lights and left me there, for hours, until my parents got home... So, I always had a nightlight. One of those childish little plug-in lights. I got picked on for it a lot when I had friends over, or if my brothers and sisters had friends over...heck, my siblings picked on me for it, too. Youngest of ten. I never had a chance!" She laughed, but it sounded a little forced, and he could see her soul's glow dimming slightly. "...When I moved in with Brit, the first night, I wasn't able to find my nightlight. So I was awake at two in the morning, trying to move out to the living room to sleep on the couch. She woke up and asked me what was up and, well...heh. That was an embarrassing conversation. She didn't tease me for it, though... Know what she did?" she asked quietly, glancing over at him. Sans shook his head slightly, eyelights focused on her face. She smiled. "She hooked up one of their spare televisions in my room, picked out a Jim Carrey film, and slept with me in my room. She said that she sleeps with the tv on all the time, because the light and sound is soothing..."

"She's a good friend," he said softly, his voice sounding rough, even to himself. She didn't pay any attention to that, though, turning to him with a nod and a widening smile.

"Mhm! Friends are really good about that...listening to your fears without judging you. She never pushed me to talk about anything I didn't want to, either, unless I was really hurt..." Pausing, she picked up her mug again, taking a long drink. It was an unspoken thing, but he felt his chest lighten and the panic buzzing within his skull lessen just a bit.

' _I don't have to talk about it if I don't want to... But, if I do, she's gonna listen and help...heh.'_

"It's hard to talk about... You'd think I was crazy," he muttered roughly, huffing an empty laugh and turning his face away. "Shit, I feel like I'm crazy... No one else ever remembers it."

"...Underground, there was somethin' evil. A monster. A _real_ monster... It killed people. Everyone. Even me. Over and over. Sometimes, it was nice, didn't interfere with things, but then...then there were times where it did, and... Shit." He took a deep drink from his own mug, setting it down with a soft clattering noise as he continued to talk, hands moving as he spoke. "It happened so many times. Over and over and over, and I'm the only one that remembers. It... Days would repeat themselves. It felt like decades when it was probably only really a few months. Things would be going good, and then, the next thing I know, things are back to the way they were. I- ... It's hard to explain..." His hands clenched into tight fists in his lap, and he laughed bitterly. "Y' prolly don't get what I'm sayin'."

"No, it... Okay, I don't understand, but I _get_ it." He couldn't look at her face, he couldn't bring himself to see the disappointment, the disapproval on her face. "Sans, that's...awful. I can't even imagine what that must be like..." _'She thinks it was just a nightmare. Doesn't think it's real.'_ "If it scares you, Sans, then it's real... If it makes you feel something, then it's real to you, and that's all that matters."

His skull whirls around to look at her, his face slack with surprise, and he was not expecting the warm look on her face. She reached a hand out to rest on the back of one of his closed ones, and he flinched slightly, tensing up for a moment before relaxing. "Yeah... It certainly _feels_ pretty fuckin' real..." They sat like that for a while, her hand rested on his, until a strong wind blew the blanket from her shoulders. She shivered, pulling her hand back and wrapping her arms around herself. He chuckled, pushing himself to his feet and grabbing his mug with one hand, pulling up the blown-away blanket with the other. "Didn't mean to _blow you away_ with my story. Maybe you should head in." She rolled her eyes at him and took the offered blanket, pulling it back around her shoulders as she stood.

"Aren't you coming in, too?" She stooped to pick up her mug and, when she saw he was holding out his, took that, as well. He shrugged a shoulder and shoved his cold hands into his pockets, nodding his head up toward the sky.

"In a bit. Gonna sit out here and look at the stars." She looked at him for a while, as if trying to read his expression, then slowly nodded, smiling. "Promise, I won't stay out too long. Otherwise I'll turn into a _numbskull_." She laughed and shook her head, turning and walking back toward the patio door.

"You're terrible." She walked inside and was just about to close the door when he turned back to face her, calling her name. "Yeah?"

"Uh... ...thanks," he murmured softly, and he felt more than saw her smile from the way her soul's aura brightened in the darkness. With a small nod and a soft bidding of 'good night', she closed the door, leaving Sans alone the stars and his thoughts.


	15. Chapter 15

"-AND WE WILL READ MY MOST FAVORITE BOOK ABOUT COMPLEX PUZZLE CONSTRUCTS, AND PLAY PUZZLE GAMES AND OTHER SUCH ACTIVITIES, AND I WILL SHOW HIM MY NEWEST ACTION FIGURES SO THAT WE MAY BEGIN TO STRATEGIZE AND PUT TOGETHER ALL NEW AND IMPROVED BATTLE PLANS, AND-"

Lena listened closely, a warm smile spread across her face as she sorted through the basket of clean laundry at her feet. Papyrus was sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her, carefully and neatly folding the towels that she tossed into his pile. It wasn't like she had asked for the help, necessarily. The skeleton had knocked loudly, already spouting energetically about his sleepover with Frisk that he was going to have that night. She'd been in the middle of folding laundry and, as soon as he saw this, he just sat down and started helping, never missing a beat as he/continued to talk on and on. She found herself wondering just when this started to feel like the most natural thing in the world to her, living among monsters, feeling like they were family.

"-AND SANS SAID THAT HE IS GOING OUT TO BUY MONSTER CANDY AND OTHER SNACKS, SO THAT WE MAY HAVE THEM TO EAT WHILE WE WATCH A MOVIE MADE FOR CHILDREN!" he finished finally, and Lena half-wondered how he wasn't out of breath, until remembering he didn't have lungs.

"That's great, Pappy! It sounds like you guys are going to have lots of fun!" He nodded so quickly that his skull was little more than a white blur, wringing a blue bath towel in his eagerness. After all of the towels in his pile were impeccably folded and set in neat stacks (organized, even, by size, type, and color- impressive), he pulled the cloth mesh bag of socks over to his lap and unzipped it, waving off the objection that Lena had opened her mouth to give. The massive skeleton began the dainty task of matching up and folding her socks, and it was so strange a sight that the human had to fight back a giggle.

"WHAT WILL BE YOUR PLANS FOR TONIGHT?"

"Well, since it's a Friday night, Brit was wanting to get together for a few drinks." Pausing, Lena pulled her phone out of her pocket and pressed the small button on the side, turning on the screen to check the time. "It's already almost four o'clock! I'll have to start getting ready here in a little while." Just as she was about to put her phone away it started vibrating, startling her enough to make her jump and nearly lose her grip on it. The name and picture of the queen showed up on her phone's screen and she smiled, accepting the call and bringing it to her ear to answer it. "Hello?"

"Ah, ehm... Y-yes, hello, my chi- Lena! This is, ah, Toriel," she stammered, sounding so incredibly nervous and unlike herself that Lena couldn't help but the frown of concern that pulled at her lips. Papyrus raised a browbone curiously but, when he got no answer, returned to his valiant act of sock folding.

"Hey Tori. What's up?"

"Well, I...I was hoping that I might be able to..." she paused, and the sound of shifting came through the other end of the phone line. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you, ehm, come and help me get dressed?" Lena raised a brow at this,frown deepening. Was she hurt? Did something happen? "I um... Oh... Just, if you please, come over right away!" The other woman hung up then, and Lena found herself staring at her phone in confusion for a moment before silently putting it away.

"IS SOMETHING TROUBLING YOU, HUMAN?" Papyrus suddenly asked, looking up at her with curiosity written plain as day across his skull, though his hands never stilled nor slowed in their task.

"That was Toriel, and she...needs my help with something. I'm gonna go do that real quick," she said, standing and dusting the tiny flecks of dryer lint from her green plaid pajama bottoms as she headed for the door. "Feel free to take a break while I'm gone!"

"FEAR NOT, HUMAN, FOR YOUR LAUNDRY SHALL BE DEFEATED AND FOLDED INTO SUBMISSION BY THE TIME YOU RETURN!" She rolled her eyes and laughed, giving him a nod as she closed her front door behind her. The air outside was surprisingly warm for being toward the end of December, just nice enough that you could sit in the sun and not need a heavy coat, and Lena was loving every moment of it. Though their snow sculptures had begun to melt, as Papyrus and Frisk had so sadly informed her, it made going out for walks far more enjoyable. _'I've been needing the exercise anyway...'_

* * *

The walk to Toriel's apartment was short, considering they only lived about a block away from each other, and by the time she arrived at her destination it had only been a few moments. She raised a hand to knock on the door, only for it to open inward on its own, revealing a very nervous-looking Toriel. "Oh, good! You are here!" Before Lena even had the chance to open her mouth, she felt her wrist being grabbed by a warm paw and she was pulled inside. For how gently she always spoke and acted, Toriel was...strong, though perhaps that shouldn't have been so surprising. Lena allowed herself to be pulled in, reaching behind her to push the door closed hard enough that it latched behind them with an audible 'click'. "I am sorry to trouble you, my child, but I... I need your help."

"Of course, Tori, I'm here for you! Whatever you need." The queen released a breath, sighing in relief. "So...what is it exactly you need my help with? You were a little vague over the phone." Lena will never get over how breathtakingly beautiful Toriel looked, all grace and poise, her cheeks prettily flushed a light shade of rose pink. Brit's voice showed somewhere in the back of her head, _'Is she hot?'_ and she quickly shook her head, dispelling the thought.

"Well, you see... Asgore has asked that I accompany him to dinner." Frowning slightly, she raised her paws to tap her claws together, shoulders hunching slightly as she curled inward. "...Alone. Just the two of us."

"...You have a date?"

"It- ...is not a date," she mumbled softly, the blush tinting her cheeks growing just a tad darker. (How can she even blush with fur? ...Magic.) "I-It is just two old friends going to dinner. Nothing more... Really!" Lena realized that her skepticism must have been showing on her face, because Toriel's last word was said earnestly, flustered, and the human couldn't help but smile.

"So you'd like help finding what to wear?" Toriel was grateful that the conversation had moved on as she nodded. "No problem! It's nothing to be embarrassed of. Brit and I dressed each other up for dates all the time! ...Well, I dressed _her_ up for dates with her husband. She dressed _me_ up and dragged me out to try and find me a date...heh."

"It has been a very, very long time since I have last um...'dated'. I am afraid that I would not know what to wear..."

"Well that's what I'm here for! Let's take a look-see." The queen led her to her bedroom and Lena wasted no time in opening up her wardrobe and closet, going through all of the items hung on wire hangers with a critical eye. _'If I had to guess, it'll probably be a formal thing...'_ Keeping that in mind, she pulled out a soft violet dress made of crushed velvet. The length and neckline were both modest, but when Toriel saw the low shoulders, she frowned slightly. "No good...?" She shook her head quickly, then paused, reaching a hand out and running a clawed fingertip along the sleeve.

"I am not so young as to wear this sort of thing... It has been far too long, my child..." With a small smile, she pushed the dress into Toriel's hands, turning back to the closet and digging around.

"Aha!" came the triumphant cry from within the closet and, seconds later, Lena emerged with a delicate-looking cream colored shawl, holding it up to inspect it for herself. It was made with an intricate pattern, rather than a solid piece of fabric, but it was thick enough to keep warm outside. "This will go nicely, I think...see?" With a little expert maneuvering, she managed to throw the shawl around the tall monster's shoulders, turning her around to face the mirror mounted on the wall and holding her hands so that she held the dress in her hands up in front of herself. Toriel looked a little surprised at her own reflection for a moment, but only for a moment, before a genuine smile spread across her face.

"It...seems like it suits me, does it not?" Her question was hesitant, and a small laugh followed it when Lena nodded firmly. "I was not wrong to ask for your advice. It has been so long, and I had very few to ask..." she trailed off, expression looking the slightest bit guilty. She supposed it made sense, though, considering the only other women she seemed close to were Undyne and Alphys, and thinking about asking them for advice on dressing for a date seemed...well, it seemed like it would be full of embarrassing teasing, at the very least. "I cannot thank you enough."

"Don't worry about it! I'm happy to help. You really should be more confident, though. You'll look amazing, and I'm sure Asgore will think so."

The two of them shared a little idle chatting back and forth, sat on the edge of Toriel's bed. It felt like being a young girl again at a slumber party, having 'girl talk'. Though she did have other female friends, Brit was definitely not one for the usual 'girl' things... She'd missed things like this. Toriel was a precious friend and someone she looked up to, and she hoped that maybe someday she could make her friend see herself as Lena saw her.

* * *

| **sans** :* got the monster candy. anything else you want me to grab while i'm out? |  
| **Papyrus** : FRISK SAID THAT THEY LIKE STRAWBERRY SODA. AND KOOL-AID. AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COOKIES OR OTHER SMALL SNACK FOODS. |  
| **sans** : * sure that won't be too much? it is just the three of us. |  
| **Papyrus** : NONSENSE! ONE CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SNACKS! IF IT ABSOLUTELY COMES DOWN TO IT, THEN WE SHALL SAVE THEM FOR TOMORROW! |  
| **sans** : * sweet. |  
| **Papyrus** : ...I CANNOT TRUST YOU ENOUGH TO KNOW IF THAT PUN WAS INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL. |  
| **sans** : * heheheheheheheh |  
| **Papyrus** : GOSH DINGUS DARN IT! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO THINK YOU'D EVER LET A PUN SLIP BY UNNOTICED...|  
| **sans** : * care if i grab a bottle of wine too while i'm out? |  
| **Papyrus** : FRISK IS NOT OLD ENOUGH TO CONSUME ALCOHOL. UNLESS YOU MEAN FOR US TO DRINK IT OURSELVES? |  
| **sans** : * yeah, figured it'd be _grape_ to have a bottle lyin' around for those nights when lena comes over. |  
| **Papyrus** : STOP RIGHT THERE |  
| **sans** : * a glass of red with our spaghetti sounds di _vine_. |  
| **Papyrus** : THIS CONVERSATION IS OFFICIALLY OVER. THE HUMAN FRISK WILL BE HERE IN HALF AN HOUR. |

Sans felt his shoulders shaking with mirth as he shoved his phone into the front left pocket of his sweats, glancing around with his lazy grin as he read over the signs hanging over each of the aisles in the grocery store. Papyrus hadn't been too terribly particular with their 'list', but he had a vague idea of what sorts of things to get. From the items he _had_ been told, it was 'things sugary and sweet' on the menu. Couldn't be too bad. The kid loved Tori's butterscotch-cinnamon pie, and it was pretty sweet. This was his line of thinking as he grabbed a cart and piled item upon item into it. The bags of monster candies hit the bottom first, then they were covered with a couple bags of marshmallows, then a bag of cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, chocolate bars, caramel bites... Once he passes the baking aisle, it's on to the cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter sandwich cookies, Oreos, fig newtons, something called 'Pocky' (he didn't know, but it was dipped in chocolate, so it couldn't be that bad) joined them. Once he got to the drink aisle, he snagged a few bottles of the strawberry-flavored soda, bubbling and artificially hot-pink in its bottles. Packets of cherry kool-aid mix slipped in afterward. When he felt satisfied that he'd gotten enough to appease his brother and the small human, he pushed the now much heavier cart up to the checkout lines.

Weird looks were something to be expected, being a monster and all, but when it was another _monster_ giving him looks, he couldn't help but feel the slightest tick of irritation. "Somethin' the matter, _bub_?" he asked, browbones raised slightly as if in question, eyesockets narrowing slightly when he saw the monster (a smaller bunny-type monster) shake their head quickly. "Good." He was given his receipt and he snagged it to shove it into his pocket before he contemplated hauling all of the bags home himself. It was true enough that it wasn't all that heavy, not really...but the thought of carrying them out to his car, only to drive it back, then have to carry them back inside was too much. "Hey, 'm leavin' my car here overnight, so don't tow it," he turned and said, only feeling a little guilty as the little rabbit monster flinched at his voice. They nodded and, with that settled, he squat down and looped all of the grocery bags over his arms, closing his eyes as he felt himself blip out of existence.

The walk through the void wasn't very long at all, more like one big, slow step. The faraway cries of...things, living or not, echoed endlessly in the vast darkness, and he was more grateful than he'd ever let on when he found himself standing in their kitchen at home, surrounded by familiarity.

* * *

The time had flown by far faster than she'd expected it to, and as she excused herself, being guided to the front door by a flustered and apologetic Toriel, she felt a warmth and comfort settle itself in her chest. She really was so blessed to have found such wonderful friends. The smile on her face was easy and natural as she made the brisk walk back to her apartment. She opened her front door and found herself face to face- or, face to chest, rather- with Papyrus, his gloved hand outstretched as he'd been reaching for the doorknob. His eyesockets widened slightly in surprise.

"OH, HUMAN! I WAS BEGINNING TO WORRY YOU HAD GOTTEN LOST ON YOUR WAY BACK!" She couldn't help but shake her head, laughing. "WELL THAT IS GOOD. I HAVE FINISHED FOLDING AND PUTTING AWAY YOUR LAUNDRY FOR YOU."

"Oh, Papyrus, you really didn't have to do that..."

"I WAS DOING NOTHING ELSE, SO IT WAS NO TROUBLE."

"Yeah, but, still..." She frowned slightly, feeling no small amount of guilt for having one of her chores done for her. A quick glance around told her that Papyrus had also dusted and cleaned up a bit. Had she really been gone for that long...?

"I WAS HAPPY TO DO IT FOR YOU, HUMAN. YOU HAVE BEEN HELPING US IN MORE WAYS THAN WE CAN COUNT, SO CONSIDER THIS A SMALL MEASURE OF REPAYMENT FOR YOUR KINDNESS," he said, an amount of sincerity seeping into his words that made her heart swell and her eyes feel wet with grateful tears.

"There's really no need to repay me for anything... I'm just doing what people should do."

"YES, BUT PEOPLE DO NOT DO WHAT YOU DO. YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW KIND HUMANS WE HAVE MET, AND HAVE BECOME A VERY PRECIOUS FRIEND." She felt her cheeks ache with the width of her smile, one he mirrored easily, and she nodded.

"I'm glad. You're a precious friend to me, too, Papyrus." He looked slightly surprised, though he quickly covered it with a joyful "NYEH", gathering the human up into his massive arms and hugging her. She laughed and threw her arms around his large shoulders, her arms just barely long enough to reach around to his shoulder blades. He swung her around a couple times before he gently set her back down, patting the top of her head with a heavy gloved hand.

"DO YOU NOT NEED TO PREPARE FOR YOUR EVENING WITH YOUR VULGAR HUMAN FRIEND?" The innocence with which he said it made her sputter, snorting loudly as she tried and failed miserably to cover up her sudden outburst of laughter. "WHAT? WHAT IS SO FUNNY?" She could only shake her head as she struggled to regain her composure, taking a few slow breaths.

"It's nothing, don't worry...heheh! I uh, I do need to get ready though, you're right."

"HMMM... VERY WELL! I SHALL LEAVE YOU TO THAT, THEN. THE HUMAN FRISK SHALL BE AT OUR HOME SOON ENOUGH, AND I MUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS READY FOR THEIR ARRIVAL!" He struck a pose, hands on his bony hips, prompting another giggle from Lena as she nodded, watching as he then tore out of her apartment and towards his own. Even something as strange of this, she realized, was beginning to feel normal to her. To think, if she hadn't had the little push from her friend that she did, she wouldn't be here, experiencing this.

The smile spread across her face is fond now, feeling her heart swell with affection for the people she calls her friends and treats as family.


	16. Chapter 16

It started out being odd from the very beginning. When Frisk hadn't run into the apartment, arms already spread wide in preparation for a spinning hug, Sans had figured maybe they just weren't feeling too 'huggy' today. Papyrus had given them one regardless, but they didn't seem to enjoy it. If anything, they seemed to _dislike_ it. Sans had frowned at that, sensing the strange behavior immediately, but said nothing. He didn't want to worry Papyrus, afterall.

"Frisk has been very much like a certain skeleton today...They slept in until well past noon, if you can believe that!" Toriel cried, holding the back of her paw to her forehead, as though she might faint from the very thought.

"WHAT? WE MUST REMEDY THIS RIGHT AWAY! MY BROTHER'S LAZY NATURE IS RUBBING OFF ON THEM TOO MUCH!"

"Perhaps he is just having yet another growth spurt. It is said that human children eat and sleep more when they are growing, which makes a lot of sense." She had smiled proudly and reached out to pat Frisk's head fondly. When she caught sight of the clock, she quickly pulled up her wrist to check her own watch, frowning. "Oh dear, it appears that I must hurry, lest I be late." Leaning down, she quickly gave the child a kiss on the head, giving a small wave as she left the apartment and closed the door behind her.

That left the three of them standing in the living room, Papyrus still waving madly to the departed queen out their window, Sans watching Frisk closely. They weren't acting like themselves, and that made him..nervous. Incredibly so. "So, kid, what ya feelin' up for?" he asked suddenly, directly, and Frisk glanced up at him, their expression slightly tense. They quickly pulled up a smile, though, signing.

" _Puzzles?"_

"AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION, FRISK! COME! I HAVE A NEW BOOK EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT PUZZLES THAT I WISH TO SHOW YOU!" Papyrus scooped the child up and ran back to his bedroom, depositing the child on the racecar bed before moving to look over his bookshelf. After taking only a second to locate the book (he had them all arranged alphabetically and by subject matter, of course), he jumped onto the bed, making Frisk bounce slightly on the mattress. "THIS ONE IS A NEW FAVORITE, AND I HAVE ONLY READ IT SEVEN TIMES! I THINK THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE THE SUBTLE NUANCES OF PUZZLE MAKING THAT IT DISCUSSES!" Papyrus said excitedly, already flipping the book open and beginning a lengthy discussion...or, a lecture, since Frisk didn't really seem to participate as much as they normally did.

After a while, they began to squirm uncomfortably, and Papyrus paused in his reading, looking over to the child with a raised browbone. _"Can we eat something?"_ they signed, sighing when the skeleton gave a hearty nod.

"BUT OF COURSE! SANS HAS BOUGHT MANY SNACKS FOR US TO ENJOY! ALLOW ME TO GO GET THEM!" With that, he hopped off of the bed, doing a flip in the air and landing on his feet by the door. This prompted a small giggle from the child, and Papyrus felt himself clench his fist, feeling somewhat victorious. He grabbed glasses of strawberry soda AND cherry kool-aid (since he didn't know which they would prefer, and, naturally, he was the best host), as well as several bags of monster candy, chips, and cookies. He dumped the bags onto the mattress as though they were spoils from a treasure raid, all while setting the glasses carefully on his bedside table. Frisk eyed the food for a moment, hesitating, until Papyrus pushed a glass into their hand and tore open a bag of chips.

Sans had hung back, moving to the couch and collapsing onto it heavily. His left eye began to glow a faint blue as he lifted his left hand, and the fridge across the room opened, a bottle of ketchup floating out before it closed carefully behind it. The bottle flew lazily across the room until, eventually, it landed in his hand. He'd just managed to pop the cap and raise it to take a sip when Papyrus cried out in alarm in the other room. His soul flared anxiously, and the bottle clattered to the floor, spilling its red contents onto the carpet as he was jumping to his feet, standing at his brother's bedroom door in a flash.

"Paps, what's the matter?!" he asked, stepping into the room just as Frisk hunched forward, barely making it to the waste basket as he retched. The bright red contents sent a pulse of panic through the skeleton brothers, and Papyrus simply stared, eyesockets already collecting tears as he trembled, looking at the child fearfully. "What happened?!" Sans shouldn't be shouting, he knew that, but something about seeing the child coughing up something bright red sent bad memories rushing through his mind.

"I-...I DO NOT KNOW! THEY WERE FINE, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PUZZLES, AND THEN, SUDDENLY, THEY JUST-" Papyrus is cut off as Frisk vomits again, and when they can hear the quiet, breathless sobs in between bouts, they both run over to the child. "HUMAN, WHAT IS THE MATTER?! BROTHER, IS HE INJURED? IS HE GOING TO DIE?!"

"I-" He didn't know. If there was one thing that scared the shit out of Sans more, it was not knowing. He'd never seen anything like this before, except- ' _Except for when he was coughing up blood, after he failed to pass through Judgement Hall._ ' He shook his head roughly, trying to dispel the awful thoughts, the awful memories.

"WHAT DO WE DO?!" His brother was frantic now, and the tears making tracks down his skull only served to jumble Sans' mind even more. They couldn't go to a hospital with Frisk. Two monsters carrying in an injured human child was just a no-go. Toriel was gone.

His mind latched onto the thought of one person, and turned on his heel, slippers scuffing across the carpet as he headed for their front door. "Grab 'em, Paps, and c'mon." When he noticed his brother's hesitation, he urged him, " _Hurry._ " This got him to move, carefully cradling Frisk to his chest and following after the smaller skeleton.

* * *

It was one of those nights. Ones where things just seemed to go well, and you couldn't help but be left in high spirits. That was what Lena was thinking as she dragged out different articles of clothing, glancing them over before shaking her head and putting them back. It was just a 'girl's night out', as Brit had called it, but it was the first time that they could hang out, just the two of them, in a long time. _'Too long,'_ she mused, pulling out a brown turtleneck sweater and laying it across her bed as she pulled her shirt up and over her head, tossing it to the ground. She'd pick it up later, of course, she told herself. Her fingers had just barely brushed the fabric of her sweater when a sudden loud pounding startled her, and she jerked her hand back, staring at her front door in surprise. Whoever it was certainly was urgent, as the hammering on her door hadn't stopped since it began. Grabbing a random tank top from the floor, she quickly pulled it on and rushed to the front door, not even pausing to glance at who it might be, jerking the door open.

"HUMAN, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH FRISK!" Papyrus cried, immediately pushing himself past Lena and into her living room, pacing worriedly. She felt her chest clench anxiously, biting at her bottom lip.

"Lay him down on the couch, gently," she ordered, turning to Sans, who was wringing his bony hands in the doorway still. "What on earth is going on?" His eyelights were dim, darting every whichway, from Frisk, to Papyrus, to her, to the floor, his hands, back to Frisk.

"The kid was fine, maybe a lil' quiet. They were in Pap's room with him when they started- ...This stuff just...it kinda came out of them. It was r-red." She'd never seen him like this, though he was very good at hiding his emotions. She could feel the fear emanating from him in waves, could see it in the way his brow creased, his smile now more of a grimace.

"YES, IT CAME FROM THEIR MOUTH! ARE THEY GOING TO BE OKAY?!" the larger skeleton wailed, hovering over Frisk as they began to squirm again. Lena took only a second to think, then she quickly grabbed the child up from the couch and walked to the bathroom. The instant she set Frisk down, they were throwing themselves over the toilet, vomiting into it. Little breathless cries were all that interrupted the retching, and Lena gently knelt behind them, moving their hair back from their face. She pulled the hairtie from her own hair, letting it fall loose around her shoulders and instead used it to pull Frisk's hair back, a little messy ponytail just at the base of their skull. "BROTHER, WHAT DO WE DO?!"

The amount of panic in Papyrus' voice brought Lena's attention away from the sick child and back to the skeleton brothers, who were now standing in the hall just outside of the bathroom, peering in worriedly. _'Do they not know about...?'_ She gave a small shake of her head. "Papyrus, can you come and rub their back for me? I'm going to get them some water." The skeleton was eager to nod, skull still etched with worry as he squeezed his way into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub, a gloved hand dragging up and down along Frisk's back. With him well taken care of, Lena made her way past Sans and into the kitchen, pulling down a plastic cup and filling it with cool water.

"What's wrong with 'em?" Sans' rough voice was suddenly beside her and she jumped a bit, some water splashing out of the cup and getting on her hand. "Sorry." She shook her head.

"It's fine. They're just a little sick. Probably just have a little stomach bug. It's pretty common for humans."

"Stomach bug?"

"Like a virus... It's our body's way of protecting itself. Something in Frisk's stomach wasn't supposed to be there, so his body's trying to get rid of it the only way it knows how. By vomiting."

"So it's...it's not blood?" The tentative and guilty tone he had when he said that made Lena pause, eyes looking over him as he continued to wring his hands, the sounds of bone scraping filling the room. She reached out and grabbed his hands with her one free hand, ignoring how he flinched under her touch and willing him to look up at her. When he did, she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Not blood. He just probably ate or drank something red. ...He'll be fine, I promise," she urged gently, and Sans could feel, more than hear, the sincerity in her words. The instant their hands touched, he could feel her soul reaching out for his, trying to quiet it. It was...far more reassuring than it probably should have been. When he finally nodded, she pressed the cup into his hands. "Good. Now, go take that to Frisk. They'll want to rinse out their mouth when they're done. I'm going to get a bed set up for him." All he could do was nod again, taking the cup and waiting until she was out of the kitchen to sag against the counter, a heavy sigh hissing past his teeth. He hated feeling like this, feeling so _helpless_ , not knowing what to do. It made him feel out of his element, like he wasn't in control, and he couldn't stand it. He had to stay in control of himself for Papyrus, and for Frisk- for everybody.

Forcing himself to act calmly, he allowed his legs to carry him to the bathroom, where Frisk was still hunched, Papyrus anxiously rubbing their back. He set the cup down a little too loudly, drawing the child's attention. He couldn't help the stab of guilt he felt in his soul the way Frisk was looking at him, tears dripping down their cheeks, bottom lip quivering, their soul dim as opposed to its usual bright red glow. The expression on their face was so similar, so strikingly similar to the one he'd gotten before, that he had to look away from it. He knew that Frisk was asking for him, but he couldn't bring himself to even look at him, couldn't stand being in the same room. He turned and left the bathroom in a hurry, heading toward the balcony. The glass doors slid open easily, and the instant he closed them, he released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. The evening air was cool against his face as he reached his hands out to grip at the railing tightly.

' _Sorry kid...'_

* * *

After the vomiting seemed to subside (or, at least, there was nothing left in their stomach), Lena had Papyrus carry Frisk into one of the spare bedrooms. It was always amazing to her, how such a large monster could be so gentle as he tucked Frisk in with an amount of care that made her heart ache. This was the bond between Frisk, the fallen human, and the monsters. A part of her was jealous, a part that she immediately banished to the very back of her mind. This was something that they had worked hard for, had earned, had fought for. They had broken the barrier for them; of course they would be close to monsters.

' _I'm just being selfish...'_

Once Frisk was asleep, both she and Papyrus slipped silently out of the room, and just as Lena managed to close the door behind them, she heard a noisy sniffle from behind her. "You are certain that Frisk is...okay?" His voice was so uncharacteristically quiet that it startled her, and when she turned around, the sight of the giant, teary skeleton nearly broke her heart. He resembled a frightened child, the way he was standing before her, curled in on himself. Giving him her most reassuring smile, she nodded, reaching up on tip-toes to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug. Another sniffle, and she could feel the relieved tears hitting her bare shoulder. "I... I was frightened terribly. I-... We thought that Frisk was dying..." He hiccuped and buried his face in her shoulder, and she reached a hand up to rub at the back of his skull, trying to soothe him.

"He'll be fine, Papyrus. He's just got an upset tummy," she said gently, smile widening slightly when she felt him nod against her. After a moment he pulled away, eyesockets and cheekbones damp with tears still, but they had stopped flowing. He raised a gloved hand to wipe at his face.

"Could we perhaps...continue our sleepover here?" he asked, voice sounding uncertain, and she couldn't help but nod. Not when he sounded like that. It was well worth the smile she gave him afterwards. "I shall be back! I will go to our apartment and get some things!" His voice was still quiet, no doubt to try and be courteous of the sleeping child, but he sounded back to himself otherwise, which Lena was glad for. As he left her apartment she glanced around, suddenly aware of the lack of company.

Sans was nowhere to be found.

Frowning, she slowly made her way through each room, searching for him. The bathroom was empty, though, she noticed with a small grimace, no one had bothered to flush the toilet. She did so quickly, holding her breath to avoid the smell of sick and flicking off the light as she left. _'If Papyrus had been scared, then maybe Sans...'_ When she found that the kitchen and both unoccupied bedrooms were empty, she made her way back into the living room, unable to ignore the small worried knot in the pit of her stomach. She quickly pulled out her phone and sent him a text.

| **Lena** : Hey, where'd you run off to? I didn't know you were leaving already. |

She was just about to sit down when a small musical tone came from just outside. Of course she hadn't thought to check the balcony. When she slid the glass doors open, she found Sans sitting with his back against the side of the building, phone in one hand as he snubbed out a mostly burnt dog treat with the other. "Sorry," he rasped, before pausing to clear his throat (how does he even do that?) and trying again. "Sorry for bailing. Needed some fresh air."

"It's okay, I get it... Not everybody likes being around sick people." He shook his head, a gesture which she immediately realized as a silent 'it's not that', but when he said nothing more, she didn't press it. "Papyrus was scared, poor thing..." Sans gave a dry laugh, completely humorless.

"Yeah, well, 's not exactly somethin' skeletons do, or other monsters, for that matter..." When the silence stretched on for a moment too long, he shoved his phone back into his pocket, glancing out at the sky. It was already beginning to darken, turning a deep blue on one far edge of the sky, while the other was a mix of reds and pinks and yellows. Something about looking up at the sky always made him feel better. "...Papyrus said you were gonna be out tonight," he said, though it was more of a question. When she made a small hum of affirmation, he frowned. "Sorry we kinda ruined your plans."

"I'm not." The suddenness of the words took him a bit by surprise and he glanced at her from the corner of his eyesockets. "If I hadn't been here, you two would've had to deal with that all by yourselves...not that I doubt your capabilities." He gave a small chuckle, flicking a bit of ash from his pants and heaving a sigh.

"Well, thanks...for helpin' the kid." With only a slight pause, and the faintest bits of jealousy echoing in his soul, he continued in a softer voice. "...and Paps. He felt a lot better after whatever ya did."

"I didn't do much. Just told him again that Frisk would be okay." Sans shook his head.

"Nah, 's more than that. You just don't realize it." When he noticed she was looking at him questioningly, he released another small sigh, raising his hand to tap a finger against his chest. "Has to do with souls. You soothed his, 'n so he felt better."

"I...can do that?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder, and he couldn't help but smile slightly at it.

"Mhm. 's funny, how little you humans actually know about souls." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, moving to sit next to him, knees pulled to her chest.

"I've read lots of the books that monsterkind brought to the surface on the subject, but it's just...difficult to understand something that can't really be seen, y'know? Not like physical parts of us, like you see in an anatomy textbook." This took him by surprise; he hadn't expected her to be willing to try and read those books, considering they were so difficult to come by. _'Is it really a surprise, though, considering it's her?'_

"Whaddaya talkin' about? You can see souls," he said, snorting slightly at the look of curiosity blossom on her face. "What, seriously? You didn't know?" She shook her head quickly, a hand raising to rest on her chest.

"How do you see them? I wonder what mine looks like... Can you see mine?" The question brought a small flush of light blue across his cheekbones, though she assumed it was a trick of the light.

"I mean, yes and no..." That answer was obviously not satisfactory enough, because she huffed and rolled her eyes, prompting him to shrug his shoulders lazily. "I can't see your soul necessarily, but I can see its aura. In order to see a soul, you gotta manifest it."

"How do you do that? How do you manifest a soul? Can I do it? How do I do it?" Her voice was eager, like a child talking about an upcoming trip (or Papyrus talking about puzzles, he noted fondly), and he chuckled and waved a hand at her.

"Slow down there, champ. You need magic to manifest a soul, so you prolly can't do it yourself." She deflated for a moment, looking disappointed, then her eyes met his, and she tilted her head slightly.

"Then, can you do it? Manifest a soul, I mean."

"...I know how, yeah."

"Could you...manifest mine?" Had he a throat, he would've swallowed at that, praying that the light flush across his face wouldn't glow bright enough to be noticed. "Sorry, is...is that not okay to ask? I read that dealing with each others' souls is special, but I just-... I-I just really wanna see it. I wanna know what my soul looks like." The expression on her face was one of longing, and as her eyes stared imploringly into his, he found himself wavering. It was only a few seconds before he was sighing, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah, suppose it wouldn't hurt nothin'..." She smiled eagerly and watched as he turned, scooting himself so that he was facing her. He was suddenly having a difficult time looking at her. "Alright, hold still. This might feel weird." She gave a small nod and he reached a hand out, palm up and fingers extended, reaching toward her chest. He stopped just short of touching her, curling his fingers inward and pulling his fist back. The sensation could only be explained as a pull, like something was being tugged gently from her chest, not painful, just foreign.

She didn't know when she had closed her eyes, but when she opened them, it was almost difficult. There was suddenly a bright light, floating between them, and it took her a few moments to adjust before she could actually see it. There, hovering just between herself and Sans, was a heart. 'Green' was the first word that came to mind when she looked at it, but it was so much more complex than that. It was a mix of jade and emerald, so many different hues swirling together beneath the 'surface', if it even had one. For being something that was not physical, it looked so _real._ Every now and then, there would be little flecks of gold, reminiscent of little glimpses of sunlight peeking through a thick canopy of trees. The way the colors moved together, against one another, with one another, it even looked like leaves drifting together in a gentle breeze.

"Wow..." she whispered, voice hushed, and a small sound across from her pulled her eyes away from her soul and to Sans. The look on his face was one of awe, his normally guarded expression slipping as his eyesockets widened, the little pearls of light in his eyes bright as they focused so intently on her soul. She saw her soul brighten as she felt a small flutter in her chest.

"...yeah." His voice was little more than a rough whisper, unable to bring himself to tear his eyes away. Frisk had said green. It was so much more than that. He hadn't seen any other human souls aside from Frisk's, but he still felt almost positive. This was the most beautiful human soul. He could _feel_ the warmth practically pouring from it, brushing against his face like a warm summer breeze, gentle, kind... He found himself wanting to reach out, to touch it, and he immediately chastised himself for that thought. It wasn't right. It just...it wasn't. That wasn't something he was supposed to want.

"This... This is everything I am...?" she asked cautiously, reaching a hesitant hand out to try and touch the floating soul. Her fingers phased right through it, and the action brought just enough of his attention back to her that he saw the look of disappointment on her face. He chuckled.

"Y' can't touch yer own soul," he said, trying to keep the amusement from his voice as he watched her continually try and fail to touch the heart between them. The disappointment manifested itself in a dimming of the light emanating from it, and the pull he felt in his own soul to do whatever it took to make it brighten again startled him.

"Can you?" The question was innocent, but the explosion of blue that suddenly glowed across his cheekbones was unavoidable.

"Uh..." _'Wow, way to be articulate.'_ "It's uh... Touching someone's soul's kinda...intimate." Her face flushed a bright red, her soul fluttering between them, and he felt like if he didn't say something, then the awkward silence would kill him. "It takes alotta trust, since one wrong touch can destroy it... That kinda thing's usually saved for family members 'n mates."

"Oh... I guess that makes sense..." she muttered, raising a hand to rub at her cheek with the heel of her hand. It was a stupid nervous tick, like she was trying to wipe the blush away, though all it ever really did was make her face more red. "Have you ever...touched someone's soul?" When Sans frowned slightly, she quickly backpedaled, shaking her head. "Sorry, that's not an okay question. I'm sorry."

"Nah, 's fine. Paps 'n I have, long time ago... I've seen a lot of other souls, but somethin' like that... It takes too much trust. Can't say anybody else trusts me that much, heh." It was an awkward conversation, and he found himself scratching at the back of his skull, grating sound of bone on bone filling the air. The light between them flickered a bit brighter, shimmering with energy, like the leaves had blown aside to reveal more of the summer sun.

"...I trust you." The soul floated closer to Sans, brushing against the fur of his hood, and he jerked backward, eyesockets flying open wide. She stammered and reached out, trying to pull it back to her, but unable to touch it. "S-sorry! I don't know how to-"

"Souls kinda...react to our emotions," he mumbled, willing the blue blush across his face to fade. At least she hadn't said anything about it. They sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the cool breeze and the sounds of life carrying on around them. Time seemed to be frozen out on her balcony, even though they knew it continued ticking by, as it always did. He felt a question rising in his non-existent throat and tried to force it down, but the incessant nudging of the green heart was prompting him to speak. "If- ...I mean... ...You really trust me?" He glanced up at her, realizing that she had, at some point, covered her face with her hands. He could see from the reddened tips of her ears that she was blushing, probably as badly as he was. His question, though, prompted her to lower her hands slowly, and though she was obviously embarrassed, the way she looked at him and nodded made his soul swell in his chest. "...Alright." Was he really going to do this? This was a mistake, he tried to tell himself that, but the yearning in his own soul, the curiosity, was getting the better of him. Maybe it was the dog treat. He should've known better than to smoke during such a tense situation.

"Are you sure...? Y-you don't have to." She was right, he didn't, and he knew that. He _shouldn't_ , and he knew that. Not unless she was aware of what it meant. He could never forgive himself if she came to regret this happening, but how was he supposed to tell her? Apparently she must have been able to sense his struggle, because she reached out and rested a hand on one of his, tightly balled into fists on his knees. "I-I know that you'll be able to see a lot of who I am, if...if that's what you're worried about. I'm okay with that."

' _How the fuck can you be okay with this?'_ he thought, giving a short nod and forcing a grin onto his face. "M'kay, so long as you're aware." She removed her hand and he flexed his fingers, curling and uncurling them nervously. "It can be pretty...intense. Just givin' ya a heads up." The small nod was all the response he got, and he sighed, surprised by how shaky it sounded, even to himself. "Okay..."

They just sat there for the longest time, her waiting patiently, him struggling to gather up his nerves to actually do what he said he'd do. It was one thing to think about doing something, but actually doing it was another entirely. A part of him was afraid of hurting her, terrified that, somehow, he'd damage her precious, beautiful soul. Then another, darker part in his soul was worried that she'd push back, get a glimpse into his own soul. There were things that he didn't want her to see, didn't want her to be aware of. It was unlikely, with her soul being the only one manifested, but still...the risk was enough for him to worry about. A shiver, both from her body and her soul, brought his attention back to the present, and he didn't know how long they'd been sitting there, but the sun had already set, the air holding a sharper chill than it had during the daylight hours. The first dozen stars were already dotting the darkness, and he paused to look up at them, calming himself.

Everything would be okay.

When he finally convinced his arms to move, they lifted up, hands open, palm upward, cupping around the floating emerald-colored heart. Not touching it, just an inch or so away from it. It floated in his hands, and he spared her one final glance before he moved, cradling the soul gently in the palm of one bony hand. His other hand now hovered over it, fingertips just barely above its surface, and he realized that they were trembling faintly.

Why was he so afraid?

Steeling his nerve, he flexed his index finger outward, just enough to barely brush his fingertip along one of the top crests of the heart. The reaction was instantaneous. Lena sucked in a deep breath, her eyes widening, and Sans would have worried that he'd hurt her if it weren't for the smile spreading across her face. She turned her face upward toward the sky, eyes slipping closed, a look of bliss overcoming her features.

He could feel so much- too much. The warmth that flooded into his soul from his fingertip was just as he'd felt before, only stronger. The warmest of blankets wrapping around his entirety, his body, his soul, his everything. Her thoughts and emotions began pouring into him, and it was so powerful that he almost let go. He could feel just how much she cared about Papyrus, and Frisk, and Toriel, Undyne, and Alphys. How much she loved cooking with Papyrus, and that she loved him like a sibling. He saw unfamiliar faces of humans that looked a lot like her, and the emotions were mostly positive. He felt some resentment, some disappointment, mostly love. There was so much love in her soul, so much kindness.

He delved deeper.

Here were darker feelings, like the color of a dark evergreen in the dead of night. He saw memories flash into his mind, of being made fun of, being called names, trying to stand up for herself, but failed. His soul clenched painfully in his chest as he felt the self-hatred, a feeling he never would have expected to find, but one he never wanted her to experience again. _"I'm fine, just on a diet."_ Humans were so stupid, he realized. They would hate each other for the most ridiculous things, and drive each other to do things to themselves that were far from kind. Maybe it was because they couldn't see souls, like monsters could, couldn't see LV and EXP. Maybe if they could learn how to, then humans could learn to love themselves a little better...

" _Hey, you're gorgeous! Don't let those assholes get you down."_ Brit's voice echoed into his mind, and he felt a rush of happiness from her soul, a rush of love. He found himself smiling without realizing.

" _You do not need to worry so much, human. You should be smiling!"_ Now he could hear his brother's voice, and he couldn't remember when this memory was from...maybe because he wasn't a part of it. A small part of himself wanted to feel envious of that, but the other part was overwhelmed by the rush of happiness that followed after a moment, and he could hear the human's voice. _"Sans called me his friend..."_ He sucked in a breath.

' _Oh...'_ He never realized just how happy that had made her; he'd only ever felt uncertain, unsure, afraid that maybe he'd made a mistake saying the words out loud when confronting those Pyropes weeks ago.

" _If- I mean... ...You really trust me?"_ Oh, his soul felt like it was going to burst, and he closed his eyes against the intensity of the emotions, of the feeling. He could _feel_ her trust as though it were tangible, as easily as if it were something he could pick up with his hands, and...it felt good. _"...Alright."_ Joy, bright and blinding and warm, too warm, too much. Sans released his gentle hold on Lena's soul, holding his hand palm out toward it, gently urging it back inside her body. He watched, enraptured, as it phased back into her body, the mint-green glow fading from sight.

It was only then that he saw the tears pouring down her reddened, freckled cheeks. Feeling frantic, he cursed, scooting himself closer and grabbing her shoulders. "Shit, did I hurt you? I didn't think I'd- fuck, I'm sorry!" She shook her head, and though he could feel little hiccuping sobs through the way her shoulders trembled, the smile on her face was so grateful, so unfiltered, so happy, that he felt himself sigh in relief. "Sorry...warned ya it was intense." She gave a watery laugh and raised a hand to wipe at her eyes, but, without her sleeves, all it served to do was smear the tears across her cheeks. He raised his hand without thought, using the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe at her eyes. It hadn't been missed, the way she tensed when he first moved, but he also didn't miss how quickly she relaxed, closing her eyes. It only struck home even harder, just how much she trusted him, and stars, did it do funny things to his soul.

"Thanks..." she murmured, and he shrugged his shoulders, quickly pulling his arm back as soon as her cheeks were dry.

"'s no problem."

"No, really. It...I know it took a lot of faith for you to be willing to do that..." He felt himself flinch inwardly. Had she been able to feel that from him...? What else did she feel? What else did she _see_? "I'm sure it was weird...doing that. But it...it meant a lot to me." Her voice had gotten so soft that he struggled to hear it. Why would it mean a lot to her? She was just curious, right?

"I...know that I won't ever get to see yours..." she mumbled, her soul suddenly aching, he could feel it, faintly. "...B-but I'm sure yours is even better than mine. Whoever gets to see it will be incredibly fortunate."

Did she even know what those words meant? He felt a dull throb from within the very core of his soul, and he averted his gaze.

"...Y'really wanna see it that bad?" He knew the answer to that question; he could feel the longing from her soul. Even though he was no longer touching it, there was a connection still there, faintly, his magic feeling it because of their closeness. She didn't react, didn't nod, because she had no right to ask for something so personal, so private. Pulling in a deep breath, he leaned back a bit, resting his palm against his sternum, With a small tug, he could feel his soul exiting his body, and he was afraid, didn't want to look at her face, to see her disgust.

It was a pale white upside down heart, as all monster souls were, but the glow around it was a faint cyan blue, pulsating slightly like it had a heartbeat. The surface was riddled with cracks, and there were parts where it seemed like there were chips, little pieces missing. As far as monster souls go, his was hideous. He had seen others that were more beautiful, more pure. Papyrus, his beloved brother, had the most pristine soul, and it was his life's mission to do everything he could to keep it that way. She may not know how monster souls are supposed to look, but she would surely be able to tell that his wasn't it.

"O-oh my god..." Here it comes, the disappointment, the rejection of his soul. It flinched visibly between them as he prepared himself for a verbal attack...that never came. "Sans... It's so _beautiful_." He could feel more than hear the adoration in her words, her soul glowing brightly within her chest, and his own shimmered a bright blue that matched the blush now spread across his cheekbones. "It's so strong, if it's been broken so many times and still holds itself together..." Was she crying? He finally forced himself to meet her gaze and saw that yes, she was crying, and the look of awe and wonder and amazement in her eyes as she looked upon his soul made him shudder. She wanted to touch it. He could feel the longing, saw her hands twitch as she forced them to remain still at her sides, and he was quick to return his soul to where it belonged, beneath his ribs. "...Sans." The lights of his eyes flickered from his chest to her face, and he was startled by the expression on her face. "...thank you." She was leaning closer, and he felt himself begin to panic, mind racing furiously as he tried to figure out what she was doing. He could feel her soul, throbbing with that same warm feeling that had overcome him before, and he didn't know what it meant, couldn't comprehend it. Why was it directed at him? He wasn't deserving of such a thing.

This was the last thought to cross his mind as he felt lips press softly to his forehead, his breath catching in a throat he didn't have. As she pulled away she tugged up his hood, and the fur lining it blocked his vision a bit. She got to her feet and silently went back into the apartment, leaving him alone on the balcony with feelings he had no idea how to manage.

* * *

The instant she stepped back inside, she released the breath she'd been holding, feeling her heart hammering against her ribs heavily. She had really done that, hadn't she? Maybe it was the overwhelming sensations and emotions from having him touch her soul, but something had just...pushed her to do that.

...No. It was more like something that was holding her back was no longer there. _'Will he be angry...?'_ She didn't know, and worrying about the answer made her chest ache. Forcing the thoughts aside, she walked through her apartment, carefully opening the door to the room Frisk had been in enough to peek in. Papyrus was curled around the small human protectively, both of them sound asleep. From the smile on Frisk's face, they seemed to be feeling much better. She saw them nuzzle into the snoozing skeleton's sternum and his own smile widened, arms wrapping a bit more tightly. It was warming to see them so close, so full of trust.

Seeing that they were settled and safe, she closed the door as silently as she could, pausing in the hallway for a moment before going into her own room. She changed out of her jeans and into a pair of sweat pants, deciding that she was no longer going out, and pulled out her phone.

| **Lena:** Hey, Brit. Sorry, but something came up. Frisk was sick, and I ended up taking care of them. Hopefully we can find another time to hang out. |  
| **Brit:** Are they okay? Do you need me to come over? Do you have chicken noodle soup? Medicine? |

| **Lena:** Everything's fine! Just a little tummy bug. They're better already. You're such a mom. |

| **Brit:** What? No way, really? =.= |

| **Lena:** Way. Such a mom. I'm going to bed, though, so goodnight. Love you! |

| **Brit:** Wow, that was gay. So gay. 3 Love you too. Nighty-night. |

Lena giggled as she set her phone on her bedside table, looking over her bed as she pondered whether or not she was ready to go to bed. _'Maybe a movie before bed...'_ She quietly left her bedroom and sneaked down the hallway, creeping past the room with the sleeping 'children' and into the living room. She hadn't been expecting to see Sans sitting on her couch, already flipping through the channels. It seemed less like he was actually looking for something to watch and more like he was doing it for something to do. When she actually stepped into the room he whipped his head up to look at her, remote falling from his hand and to the floor with a soft 'thud'.

"Ah- hey... Figured you'd be goin' to bed..." he mumbled, sounding only the smallest bit flustered (not), and she shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"I was gonna watch a movie before bed..." She paused, uncertain, and he could feel it. Shit, he felt the same way. This was new territory, and he'd only caught a glimpse of it, and he still wasn't entirely sure of what he thought of it... He knew what he _felt_ , but he preferred his thoughts. They were usually more rational. They made more sense.

...But he couldn't stand watching her standing there, in her own home, looking so uncertain. So he motioned for her to come over, patting the cushion right next to him with a small smile. "I'm game. Another comedy? You said there was two of those 'Ace Ventura' movies, right?" His answer apparently surprised her, because she just stared at him, and he couldn't help but snort. "You gonna stand there all night, or...?" This seemed to snap her out of whatever thoughts she had, because she smiled brightly and nodded. (God, since when did he start really noticing that those smiles started doing things to his soul?) He watched as she hurriedly put the DVD into the player and sat herself down next to him. Her hand brushed against his as soon as she sat, and she flushed, pulling her hand away and mumbling an apology. He steeled himself and reached back out for it, taking her hand into his, and he was immediately distracted by how soft they were. Much softer than his own, obviously, which were made of bone, but they were softer than any other humans' he'd felt, either.

"...You gonna grab the remote and play the movie, or...?" He looked up with a start, realizing that he'd been sitting and staring at their joined hands, and he quickly leaned forward, hand fumbling to find the remote. The amused bit of laughter certainly didn't help, but he couldn't really feel to bad about it, because her fingers wrapped just a bit tighter around his own.

He felt his soul thrum happily, glowing the brightest it had in a long, long time.


	17. Chapter 17

Sans didn't consider himself an easily shaken monster. After facing countless horrors through hundreds of timelines, fighting against the biggest, fiercest enemy that all of monsterkind had ever faced, and escaping to the surface, it was safe to say that he had seen and done his fair share of shit. Sure, he had to deal with night terrors, and nightmares, and bad memories, and the constant fear of experiencing another reset, but he wasn't one that was nervous so easily.

This is what he told himself as he sat on the couch in the middle of Lena's living room at six o'clock in the morning, phone clutched between his bony hands as he tapped on the screen, not the least bit nervous. He was not, in the slightest, flustered at having had such an 'close encounter' with the human he'd been finding himself thinking more of since she'd somehow stumbled into their lives. How had the topic of souls even come up? He couldn't remember. It could have been him, for all he knew. All he could remember was the overflow of emotion, of sensation.

And the color, of course. There were surely not enough words in any human or monster language to adequately describe it in a way that would be even close to satisfactory. The subtle shifting of hues were just too complex, to intricate, to ever put into words. Hell, even just trying to _think_ about it left him feeling at a bit of a loss. He hadn't intended to at first, but he'd been staring at her soul intently, trying to paint its image on the inside of his skull so that he could never forget it. His own soul had throbbed with such longing and desire that it scared him. It wasn't a feeling he had felt in a long, long time. A yearning to reach out and caress her soul, to feel everything that lie within it, what it contained, what it stood for, what it meant, everything. It was wrong. He wasn't supposed to feel things like that about anyone, much less a human. ...But, he did. And, while he had spent quite some time agonizing over his unhealthy curiosity in her soul, all it took was actually seeing it, _feeling_ it, and he came to accept it.

Anyone would be out of their minds not to crave a soul like hers.

There was a touch of lingering guilt as he wondered, afterward, if she really had known what touching a soul entailed. How he was able to feel her soul much more easily now, since his own soul became accustomed to her 'frequency'. The soft, breeze-like waves of magic that pulsed outward from the core of her existence.

She had gone to bed not long after midnight, leaving him, again, alone with himself and his thoughts. It was a position he found himself in rather frequently anymore, and he wasn't necessarily pleased with it. Being alone with his thoughts meant having to sort through them, and his thoughts lately pertained to a certain human, and thoughts about that certain human would bring feelings into the mix, and sorting through thoughts was one thing, but sorting through feelings was definitely _not_ something he looked forward to. He groaned and looked, again, at his phone's clock. 6:15 AM. Another sleepless night, though at least this one wasn't by the cause of night terrors. No, it was a whole new kind of terror. A mixture of fear and contentment that left his skull spinning. Did he feel guilty for touching Lena's soul? Absolutely. Did he regret what happened, though? Not a chance in hell. Heaving a sigh, he leaned his head back against the back of the couch, allowing his arms to fall limp at his sides and his phone to slip from between his fingers.

' _What am I supposed to do now?'_

The sound of a door opening startled him from his thoughts and he sat up a bit straighter, eyesockets widening only slightly when he saw a mess of brown hair peek around the corner. His posture relaxed a bit and he smiled easily, raising a hand in greeting. "Hey, kiddo. Feelin' better today?" They nodded, expression neutral as they padded their way into the kitchen, climbing up on the counter to reach a glass. Sans barely even had the time to offer to help them when they jumped down, glass in hand, and turned to the fridge. A small chuckle escaped past the skeleton's teeth as he heard, more than saw, Frisk lug out the giant jug of orange juice. "Didn't think you'd be up so early. Must've been _sick_ and tired of bein' in bed." He heard the fridge door close and Frisk appeared around the corner of the kitchen doorway, holding their arms up in an 'X' formation. Sans laughed outright, shaking his head and patting the space on the couch next to him. Carrying their cup of juice carefully with two hands, Frisk crossed the living room and sat down on the opposite end of the sofa. When Sans raised a brow at them, they took a long drink of juice before setting their cup down on the floor to free their hands.

" _That's Miss Lena's spot."_ The mischievous smile couldn't be missed, nor could the sudden flush of blue across the skeleton's cheekbones, to which Frisk breathlessly giggled. Just how much of what they did was obvious...? Oh stars, what if Papyrus had seen? That wasn't a conversation he wanted to have any time soon. _"I feel bad for ruining her 'girl night'..."_ The child suddenly did appear quite remorseful, then tapped a finger to their chin in thought. _"...I got it! You should take Miss Lena out, Uncle Sans!"_

"Eh? What for?" he asked, feeling himself grow embarrassed. This kid...sometimes it didn't seem like they were really a kid at all, like they were much older inside that tiny body. Frisk huffed impatiently and signed quickly, face splitting into a wide grin.

" _To say thank you for helping take care of me! Take her on a date!"_ Sans grumbled lightly, leaning his elbow against the arm rest and propping up his chin on his hand.

"...not a date," he muttered, giving a pointed glare when the child rolled their eyes at him. "What's got you talkin' about all this nonsense anyway?" The look on their face was unamused, and they raised an eyebrow in a wordless 'really?' gesture. Sans bristled slightly and reached for the remote, turning on the tv and flipping through channels nervously as he tried to ignore the child next to him.

Taking her on a date...? How ridiculous! The kid was just messing with him, obviously, and, might he add, far too damned early in the morning. The weariness must've shown, because there were suddenly tiny fingers prodding at the dark circles underneath his eyesockets, and he flinched a bit until he realized it was Frisk. The look of mild concern on their face prompted him to shrug a shoulder lazily, pulling a larger grin onto his face. "Don't worry 'bout it, kid," he said, reaching out to ruffle the human's hair and laughing when they tried to bat his hand away in earnest.

"WORRY ABOUT WHAT?" Papyrus' voice was suddenly present, sounding as though he were in the room even though he was down the hall and just barely outside of the guest room. His eyesockets squinted the slightest bit as he looked around, presumably for Lena, because when he could not find her, he sent Sans a questioning look.

"She's still sleepin', bro-" he began saying, though the sound of another door opening made him stop, chuckling. "Well, she _was_."

"OH, I AM SO SORRY, HUMAN. I DID NOT MEAN TO WAKE YOU..." Papyrus turned to the sleepy human, sounding as apologetic as his words portrayed. Lena waved the 'sorry' off with a smile that morphed into a yawn, which she raised a hand to cover politely. "ALLOW THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO MAKE YOU BREAKFAST, THEN!" Whatever little bits of sleep she had been clinging to quickly vanished and she walked around Papyrus and into the kitchen, and Sans bit back a laugh.

"Oh, I've got it! Thank you though, Papyrus!" she said cheerfully, standing in front of the stove as she began to pull out different sized pans. Papyrus whined quietly and followed closely after, peering over her shoulder curiously to try and see what she was doing. He went unnoticed until she turned around to walk to the cabinet across the kitchen, bumping forehead first into the skeleton's bony chest. "Ah! Oh, I'm sor-"

"HUMAN, MAY I ASSIST YOU IN YOUR CULINARY CREATIONS?" Lena was rubbing her forehead as she glanced around the towering skeleton, looking to Sans for help, who simply chuckled and gave a small shrug. He was so helpful.

"Y'know what, sure! Do you wanna help make the pancakes?" The child-like eagerness with which he nodded was so endearing, she couldn't help but smile brightly at him, a smile that extended to her very soul, Sans noticed.

" _You're staring again, Uncle Sans."_

His skull whipped around so fast that he felt like his head might spin like an owl's, turning to look at the child sitting next to him, giving him a knowing smirk. God, he was, wasn't he? He really needed to get a handle on that.

" _You should take Miss Lena out to lunch!"_ This again..? Sans sighed and cast the child a small frown, preparing to tell them to drop the subject, but they were suddenly hopping up from the couch and running into the kitchen. Though he couldn't see their hands, he knew what they were up to and inwardly groaned.

"WHAT? THAT IS A SPLENDID IDEA!" Papyrus suddenly burst from the kitchen, holding the child up on his shoulders, them holding onto his skull for balance. "BROTHER! HUMAN FRISK IS WANTING TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON PLAYING! IS THAT ALRIGHT WITH YOU?" A small hand pat the top of his skull suddenly to get his attention, and Frisk began signing right in front of his face. His smile morphed to a small look of confusion before it returned at full force. "AH, I DID NOT KNOW YOU HAD PLANS FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THAT WORKS OUT PERFECTLY THEN! FRISK AND I SHALL PLAY WHILE YOU COMPLETE YOUR ERRAND!"

' _That sneaky little shit...'_ Heaving a bit of a sigh before forcing a grin onto his face, he gave his shoulders a lazy, exaggerated shrug. "Yeah, perfect... Thanks bro." His eyelights met Frisk's gaze and he gave them a hard stare, corners of his mouth twitching slightly when they winked at him. _'You'll pay for that, kiddo.'_

* * *

Breakfast was made relatively quickly, and by the time they were sitting at the table, Toriel had come to pick up Frisk. Lena asked her how her date went, and her cheeks had flushed a pretty pink, though she tried to keep her expression neutral. She failed, and her smile was almost giddy as she said that it went well. "Just well?" the human woman asked, raising a brow as Toriel took a rather large bite of pancake and nodded. She vowed to get more of an answer later, when Frisk and the skeleton brothers weren't around.

Telling her that Frisk had been sick was difficult, and Toriel had immediately turned to her child with worried eyes, looking them over and spouting countless apologies and concerns. But Papyrus had been quick to pipe up that Lena had been a tremendous help, praising her for her level-headed behavior and her amount of care for her friends. Setting down her fork, Toriel turned to the human, clasping her hands each in a large paw and looking at her gratefully. "My child, I simply cannot express my thanks enough. For you to have taken such great care of my precious child in my absence... I shall never forget it!" Frisk reached out and tugged on his mother's sleeve, getting her attention and signing something at her quickly. She smiled, nodding. "Why, yes, my child! That is a splendid idea!" Her smile faltered a bit, though, and she drew back her paws, touching one to her cheek thoughtfully. "Though, I am afraid I have several tasks today... I'm afraid I simply don't have the time for it."

" _Uncle Sans could do it! He was going to be out in town anyway!"_ they signed, glancing over at the shorter skeleton, who was gripping his fork tightly in his hand.

"Oh, well, that would not be a bad idea..." A suddenly knowing smile came across her features, and she and Frisk shared a small, quiet laugh together before she turned to the rest of the table. "Sans, would you be opposed to taking Lena out in my stead? I would like to, what with school coming back into session soon, but I am busy..." Sans had been trapped, and he knew it.

"Eh, sure. Don't think I'm doin' too much today..." From the corner of his eye he saw Lena look at him, her cheeks flushing a soft red, and she pulled her hair over her shoulder to comb her fingers through it.

"You don't need to thank me, really... It was no big deal. I've helped Brit deal with her sick kids several times. And I work at a school, so I don't really-"

"No, I insist! You must allow us to thank you properly!" The queen was insisting, and Lena had a hard time saying 'no' at times...so it was for these reasons that she found herself nodding, pulling on a small smile. "Good. Now, my child, you said that you are going to be with Papyrus, correct? You do not mind watching them, do you?" Papyrus shook his skull quickly with a wide grin and she nodded. "Very well, then I shall leave that task to you. Not too much junk food!" The last part was said directly to Frisk, and she pointed a finger at them, waving it slightly when they gave her a pouting frown. "...Well! If that is all settled, I had best be going about my business. Thank you so much, Lena, my dear, for helping my family. And for breakfast! It was wonderful!"

"It's no problem, Tori. No need to help with the dishes, I've got them," she said, already getting up and gathering plates to take into the kitchen. The queen protested quietly, but when she was waved off, she simply smiled and headed out the front door, Papyrus and Frisk right behind. The towering skeleton had to duck in order to make sure that he or the child didn't hit their head on the top of the door frame on the way out, and Lena couldn't help but smile as she watched the people she cared so much for.

Sans sat still at the table, looking down at his empty plate and spinning the fork between his fingers as Lena disappeared into the kitchen. He could hear the soft clatter of dishes being set in the sink, and it was only a few seconds later that the faucet was switched on, the sound of running water filling the air. He'd been cajoled into it. There was no going back now. (Not that he really wanted to go back anyway. Not really.) It was with a small, resigned sigh that he finally stood up, carrying his own dishes and setting them on the counter next to the sink, where Lena was busy scrubbing them all down. The left basin of the dual sink had been filled with steaming soapy water, the bubbles floating just on the surface, along with now wet bits of floating food. Her hands were pink when she pulled them from the water, and he frowned, wondering if she'd made it too hot. Human skin was so delicate, breaking or burning or bruising at the slightest thing.

"Oh, thanks!" she said suddenly, pulling him from his musings (fuck, he'd been staring at her hands) as she reached for his plate and fork, setting them carefully into the water. The washcloth she had grasped tightly in her hand had been white, at one point, but was now soiled, stained with a multitude of hues from a multitude of things. "Sorry for you getting roped into taking me somewhere..." Her voice was slightly softer, and he didn't necessarily like the inclinations of what she said. Rolling the sleeves of his hooded sweatshirt up to his elbows, he snatched the dish towel from the counter and began to dry the rinsed and cleaned dishes, being careful not to crack them as he stacked them neatly.

"Don't worry about it. I was already kinda wantin' to take you out as thanks anyway." He tried to ignore the small pulse he felt in his soul as he caught sight of her surprised and pleased expression, focusing completely on drying the coffee mug in his hands. The hard bone of his fingertips clicked against the surface nervously before he set it down, reaching for the next one. "Figured it's the least I can do, after helpin' us with Frisk 'n all..." _'And for letting me hold your soul,'_ his mind added afterward, but he refused to voice those words. "Anyway, I've got nothin' else to do today, so whatever ya want. Figured that maybe I could take you by an old favorite for lunch..." She seemed to perk up at this, pulling the drain plug out and setting it on the edge of the sink.

"Where is it? Would I have heard of it?" Her curiosity made him feel just the slightest bit pleased, and he smiled.

"Maaaybe. Y' might've heard of it. It's the _hottest_ place in town." Obviously unaware, she missed his pun entirely, but he didn't mind. Soon...soon. "Y' gonna _grill_ me for answers, or can we make it a surprise? Promise, the food's good, you'll love it." She seemed to be placated by this, though she was still so obviously curious, but she didn't press the matter any more.

"Alright, if you say so. I'm...looking forward to it." They shared a smile and, after helping her get cleaned up from having company over, he excused himself so he could go shower and change. It was only a couple hours way, after all, until their-...not-date.

* * *

| **Brit:** Oh. My. God. |

| **Lena:** Oh lord, please, don't start. |

| **Brit:** You're going on a date? With SANS? The SKELETON? |

| **Lena:** Yeah, and? What's the matter with that? |

| **Brit:**...You gonna get _boned_? |

| **Lena:** BRIT! |

| **Brit:** -CACKLING- |

| **Lena:** That was awful. You're awful. I can't believe you. |

| **Lena:** Anyway, yeah, he's taking me out to lunch. Not a date. Just hanging out as friends... |

| **Brit:** You really think that? |

| **Brit:** Reeeeeeeally? Because you wouldn't text me so excited if you reeeeally thought that was it. |

| **Brit:** Did something happen that I don't know about? |

| **Brit:** It did, didn't it? |

| **Brit:** Oh my god what the fuck happened? I want details. DETAILS! |

| **Lena:** I put my phone down for ten seconds and you start blowing it up, omfg. |

| **Brit:** DE. TAILS. NOW. |

| **Lena:** I can't deal with talking to you about this right now. Can't. Cannot. I promise I'll call you later but right now I have to get ready, because Sans could be here anytime within the hour. |

| **Brit:** Yeah yeah, go hang out with bonehead. Leave me here. Alone. Without my girlfriend to keep me company. I understand. It's fine, really. No no, promise, I'm fine. |

| **Lena:** Brit I can't even with you right now, you know that? I'm gonna get ready. I'm getting in the shower. |

| **Brit:** Awwww yessss, get all nice and naked and wet for me. ;) |

| **Lena:** GOODBYE BRITNI |

The auburn haired woman tossed her phone onto the other side of her bed, staring at it with a soft glare before turning to fall onto her mattress. She groaned into the thick duvet and sighed through her nose, closing her eyes tightly. It hadn't been necessarily unexpected for the teasing, but it was more surprising that she felt so defensive over it. It wasn't a lie, any of what she said. It wasn't a date. Just a friend taking another friend to eat as a way of saying 'thanks'. He hadn't even really seemed like he was totally into the idea, either. _'Maybe because I'm a human, and going out in public with me alone means being seen with me...?'_ She shook her head, and the thought went away. Reminding herself firmly of their experience at the grocery store and the Pyropes. He wasn't racist; it was just difficult to gain his trust.

She decided that the best course of option would be to try and distract herself until it was time to leave, and what better way than to try and find what to wear? She pushed herself up from her bed and crossed the room to the modestly sized walk-in closet, looking over her limited wardrobe and frowning. It occurred to her that many of the things she owned didn't fit as well now, and when she pulled down and held up one of her favorite sweaters and saw it was too small, she groaned and dramatically threw it to the floor. Why did being bigger have to come at such a steep price? Literally. Clothes weren't cheap, and her less-than-teacher's salary wasn't up for a shopping spree.

As she sorted through her clothing, she felt her heart give a nervous flutter within her chest. Why should she be nervous? This was just a friend taking another friend out to lunch, nothing more. It most certainly wasn't a...date. She felt a small pull in her chest that she'd now come to recognize as her soul, and she briefly wondered why it was reacting. _'I don't have time for this!'_ Shaking her head firmly, she turned back to her closet and, finally, got dressed. Since she wasn't entirely sure of where they were going, she didn't want to dress too casually...but being too formal would be awkward, too! _'Knowing Sans, casual is probably better...'_ She decided on a pair of dark jeans and a long-sleeved mint green sweater that hung off her shoulders. _'Why am I so nervous..?'_ Once she was dressed and had her hair brushed into auburn waves she pulled on her coat and was just about to head over to the skeleton brothers' apartment when a sudden knock from the front door startled her. A hand flew to her chest as she tried to calm her heart rate while her other reached out and pulled the door open.

There stood Sans, dressed in something other than his usual track pants and slippers, for once. They'd been traded out black jeans (my goodness, were they even ironed?) and blue sneakers with the laces cut short and dangling down the sides. He'd also put on a black cotton t-shirt and a deep blue hooded jacket, which he left unzipped. His expression held a hint of surprise, probably from not expecting her to answer so quickly, and he gave her his trademark grin, pulling back his extended hand and shoving it into the pocket of his jacket.

"Hey, y' about _knocked_ me over with your enthusiasm."

"Oh god, don't you start!" she groaned, though she was smiling, and he chuckled as he dodged a shove to the shoulder. "So, I'm ready to go, if you are...though you never said where we were going."

"Y'er right, I didn't." She gave him a slightly exasperated look and he shrugged. "Just a little place from the Underground that got built up here. Good food, good drinks, good atmosphere...figured it might do the trick for today." A small hum of agreement was all she gave at first, leaning to grab her purse and pull it over her shoulder before she stepped out of her apartment and locked up behind her.

"Cool. Are you driving, or am I?" When he remained silent for a moment, she raised a brow, frowning slightly. "...Sans?" This seemed to pull him from his thoughts and he gave a small, nervous grin.

"Figured we could uh...take a shortcut. If y'er willin' to give it a try." Before she could ask what he was talking about, he closed his eyes and pulled his left hand out of his pocket. When his eyes opened again, the little pinprick of light in his right socket had vanished, and his left eye was suddenly filled with a blue, glowing iris. With his hand extended in front of him, he held out his index finger and slowly drew an invisible line in the air...or, it should have been invisible, but a faint trail of his magic remained. Then, suddenly, the space where the line was drawn began to pull apart, creating a gap of sorts. Lena stared, mouth slightly agape in absolute wonder at what she was seeing. She was standing on her entryway, but straight ahead of her she could see a view of downtown, as clear as if it were right in front of her. "...Heh. Kinda trippy, huh?" He sounded so nervous that she snapped out of her reverie, tearing her eyes away from the sight in front of her to glance over at him.

"This is your magic...?" she asked curiously, turning to glance back at it again. "That's... _amazing_." Sans released a small breath and chuckled, shrugging his shoulders as though cutting doorways through space wasn't a big deal. To him, maybe, it wasn't. "What is it? Is this teleportation?" Her eagerness caught him off-guard and it took him a second to respond.

"Kinda, but not exactly... More like folding space."

"...So... You use your magic and cut this-" she motions toward the spacial gap, "-doorway, and...and you use it to fold the space between where we are and where you're wanting to go?"

"...Yeah, that's the long and short of it, actually." He huffs, almost looking a little disappointed. "I wasn't expecting you to be so cool with it."

"What, looking forward to giving me a hard time?"

"Welllll maybe. That and just the fact that cutting through space is supposed to be a theoretical concept and impossible in practice except for wormholes and the like...just kinda expected it to be a difficult thing for a human to accept." She raised a brow at him and snorted, grinning.

"I love it when you talk _nerdy_ to me." Sans practically choked on his laugh, unexpected and sudden, and she laughed outright, gesturing back toward the "portal". "So, are we gonna go through, or were you just showing off?" He takes a second to regain his composure and nods, then pauses, face flushing a light blue.

"It's dangerous, goin' through if you don't know what you're doin'. You could get lost in The Void, so, uh... Prolly better if you hang on," he said as casually as he could muster, holding his arms out to his sides slightly, as if asking for a hug. Lena felt her pale cheeks flush a light pink and she easily stepped forward, arms looping around his neck. "Ah...heheh, I was gonna say y' could hold onto my hand." She flushed darker and attempted to pull away, but bony hands had come to rest on her waist, stopping her from moving. "This...works," he muttered gently, not meeting her gaze. "Close y'er eyes goin' through. The Void ain't somethin' humans should see." She nodded shyly and closed her eyes tightly, her face warm as a small breath of warm air hit her cheek. "Hold on," he whispered roughly, and suddenly, she could feel everything fall away around her.

* * *

Sans felt his magic surge as they stepped through the doorway and into The Void, where time always seemed so much slower. It was here that he could really stop and notice things, like how her arms tightened around his neck and pulled his skull closer to her neck, pressing closer to him as she, no doubt, felt the space around her vanish. It was a sensation that humans never got to experience, under normal circumstances. Frisk said that they felt nauseous the first time, and part of him worried if Lena might experience the same thing. _'That'd put a real damper on our da-'_ He cut his mind off abruptly before the word could even completely make it across his thoughts, because this wasn't a date.

The human in his arms made a small noise of distress, a small whine, and he felt her hold on him tighten, fingers digging into the fabric covering his shoulder blades, and he instinctively pulled her closer. He tried his hardest not to be fascinated by the way her flesh seemed to dip beneath his bony fingers, and instead focused on getting them through more quickly. Her breath was warm against the side of his skull, and stars, if he wasn't already having a hard enough time paying attention, he certainly did now.

The time was only a couple seconds, in reality, but it had felt like a solid minute in the Void. By the time their feet finally landed back on 'solid' ground, Sans felt her breathe a sigh of relief. "C-can I open my eyes...?" she asked hesitantly, and he felt slightly guilty when he gently pushed her away a bit, giving a small grunt that supposedly meant 'yes'. It took her a few seconds before her green eyes fluttered into view again, and Sans quickly averted his gaze. They were still standing rather close, his hands on her waist, her hands on his shoulders as she tried to steady herself. "Wow..." Before them stood a modestly sized brick building, the sign hanging over the door lit in orange. "Grillby's...?"

"Yep. Was one of my favorite places to spend time back in the Underground. An old friend of mine runs the place..." He gestured toward the door with a smile and walked forward, pushing the door inward and open as she followed close behind. There was an almost instantaneous chorus of voices all saying his name, and he sent everyone in the room a lazy grin and wave.

"Heyyy Sans, how's it been?!" a very drunk rabbit-looking monster called from the first booth, slurring as he leaned nearly out of his seat. There was another monster sitting behind them, quietly observing the human that had wandered in, as well. Lena felt a touch of nervousness under the intense gaze, but she just gave a small smile and a little wave.

"Y'care if we sit at the bar?" Sans suddenly turned and asked, and Lena shook her head quickly as he led her up to the bar. Standing behind it was a man made entirely of fire, or that's how he looked, wearing a nice dress shirt and vest, complete with black bowtie. _'How do the clothes not burn...?'_ Sans hopped up onto one of the stools and just as Lena was about to sit down as well, he quickly slid a hand over the cushion, pulling something off of it. He was holding up a whoopie cushion, setting it on the seat on the other side of him. "Some weirdo goes around puttin' these things on all the seats. Crazy, huh?" Just from the look in his eye, she knew it was him, and was thankful for being spared.

"It's no problem. I'm sure everyone thinks they're a _gas_ ," she said, earning a series of laughs from everyone around the bar.

"Nah, it totally _blows_. But I'm not one to raise a _stink_ over little things like that." The look on his face was amused and god, were they seriously sitting here making fart jokes? "Hey, Grilbz. How's it goin'?" he asked, and the fire elemental across the bar from him crackled and hissed softly, sounding like a campfire. The surprise must have been evident on the human's face because Sans chuckled and held a hand out toward the walking inferno, gesturing at him casually. "This _hot_ stud here is my pal, Grilby. He owns the place, keeps this place _lit up_." A dissatisfied hiss came from Grillby, who simply shook his head at the puns. Lena could sympathize. "Grilby, this...is Lena." The elemental cast the skeleton a questioning glance, who simply waved him off.

" _It is nice to finally meet you,"_ a smooth voice said, startling her slightly, as it seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"O-oh, it's, um... It's nice to meet you!" Smiling, she reached a hand out without thinking, and Grilby actually flinched back slightly. He blinked in surprise at Sans, who shrugged and grinned, and gave a small chuckle as he reached forward to shake the human's hand. It was...warm, but it didn't burn her, like part of her might have expected. She could feel the faint crackle of magic on her skin, but otherwise it was a normal handshake.

" _Will I be getting you the usual, Sans?"_ Grillby had now turned back to the skeleton, who was watching the interaction closely. At the question he turned to Lena, raising a brow.

"Burger and fries okay with you?" he asked, his smile spreading wider when he received an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah, two usuals." The fireman (ha) nodded and turned and disappeared into the back, and Sans turned to Lena with a bit of a curious expression. "Didn't think you'd be up for handshakes so quickly. Humans are kinda put off by the whole 'made of fire' thing."

"Ah, well... Truthfully, he's not the first fire elemental monster I've met," she said, the corners of her lips turning up in a fond smile as she thought. "I knew a fire elemental in college..." Grillby reappeared and set a plate down in front of each of them, pulling a bottle of ketchup from under the bar and sliding it over to Sans. "She was a real sweetheart, beautiful! I'd never seen green fire before, but she was gorgeous... I have a picture of the two of us up in my apartment somewhere. We didn't hang out too often, but I tutored her in English and comprehension during her freshman year. I tried to push to get her to be my roommate, but the college wasn't...well, they weren't allowing monsters to live on campus at the time. It was stupid, and I was really upset about it, but she just apologized, and told me not to worry about it. I wonder how she's doing now..."

" _She is working on getting a degree online while living at home. Stubborn and still thinks she knows best, but she's doing well."_ Grillby's voice startled her and she looked up, embarrassed. He gave a small, hissing chuckle and sent her a warm (heh) smile. _"I never would have thought that the Lena who took such good care of my daughter is also the one who is taking such good care of my friend. I really ought to thank you, Lena."_ Her face flushed a light red and she shook her head modestly.

"No, really, it's nothing. That's just how you're supposed to treat people..."

" _And it is exactly that reason that makes you so amazing..."_ The amount of fondness that was being expressed on his face was obvious, and when they heard the clatter of a ketchup bottle hitting the counter, she jumped. Grillby turned to Sans with a small smirk. _"Consider this meal on me, as a way of giving my personal thanks to your date."_ Sans, who had been in the middle of taking a bite of his burger, gulped loudly, dropping it back onto his plate.

"Y' got it all wrong, Grilbz..." he said, eyesockets narrowing slightly as Grillby gave another hissing chuckle, turning and disappearing into the back again. "Hey! ...Damn _hothead_." He glanced over at Lena who was giving him a strange look, brows slightly furrowed. When she noticed his attention on her she quickly smiled, diving into her burger and fries. _'What, was she happy he called it a date or somethin'?'_ Frowning slightly, he took a large swig of ketchup, willing the pale blue to disappear from his cheekbones.

* * *

"Oh my god... Is this real?" Sans laughed as his eyelights scanned over the sight before him, eyesockets crinkling with mirth. Lena was sitting on her bar stool, turned with her back to Grillby, who was keeping a careful eye on the room. Lesser Dog had, not long after they'd finished eating, come over to the bar for a drink, and Sans had introduced them. She'd made the mistake of reaching out to give them a handshake. Lesser Dog had immediately taken the offering of her hand as her offering to pet him. This was how she found herself covered in dog, the monster's neck hanging across the bar as he panted, tail wagging wildly. The poor human was giggling helplessly, scratching the dog under the chin and behind the ears, and no.

He was not the slightest bit jealous. He wasn't, because that would be ridiculous, and there wasn't even anything to be jealous of. He wasn't watching as her soul bubbled brightly with her cheerfulness, pale green tendrils of aura reaching out and practically petting Lesser Dog's soul. He wasn't...until Lesser Dog leaned up and licked her cheek, releasing a soft 'mrrr' noise. What the fuck even was that? Dogs weren't supposed to purr. She cooed in response, increasing her efforts, moving to scratch at the dog's extensive neck.

"Hey, L.D., you oughta get back to your poker game," Sans said cooly, his eyelights meeting the dog's eyes and raising a browbone, his grin tense. The dog whined softly, retracting its long neck and giving Lena a small wave of its paw, which she readily returned. She seemed a bit sad for him to leave, and he huffed irritably, squirting a heavy amount of ketchup into his mouth.

"He's so sweet! It's too bad he had to go... Hey, do you think he'd mind if we joined in his poker game?" she asked, leaning to look over at the dog who had returned to its table. He looked to be playing against himself, despite the table full of dogs near him.

"Dunno. 'm not really a fan of poker." His words were clipped short, and Lena took notice quickly, looking over at him with a small concerned frown.

"Everything okay...?" she asked hesitantly, and Sans cursed mentally.

"Just dunno why you're wantin' to spend so much time with someone else on our date."

The words were out of his mouth before he really thought them through, and his eyes went wide, setting the bottle of ketchup down on the bar so forcibly that a bit of ketchup flew out the top. "I mean..." _'Shit, shit, shit-'_ Grillby was giving him a cheeky smirk and he swore, if it wouldn't hurt him, he'd have squirted the rest of the ketchup in the bottle at him just to wipe that look off his face. Was his face glowing? Shit, it probably was.

"...You're right, Sans. I'm sorry." He chanced a glance at her from the corner of his eyesocket and felt his soul flutter at the truly apologetic expression on her face. How was he supposed to be mad when she made a face like that? Huffing out a small sigh, he shrugged his shoulders dismissively.

"'s fine, don't worry 'bout it. Ready to head back?" She nodded and he hopped down from his stool, giving Grillby a wave over his shoulder as he quickly exited the building. The brush of cool air against his face was welcoming, considering how hot his cheekbones felt. He wanted to blame it on sitting at the bar so long. He heard the door close behind him and, after a few seconds, the shuffling of shoes on the sidewalk next to him. "Shortcut, or d'ya wanna walk?" She frowned slightly in thought, pondering both options, then she shyly held her hand out to him.

"Can we walk...?" She looked so unsure and flustered, and fuck, he couldn't even think of stopping himself as he grasped her hand in his own, holding onto it loosely. The glow from her smile and soul brightened the space between them, and he averted his gaze as they began their trek back to the apartment. He tried to keep his mind off of how soft and warm her hand was, or how perfectly it seemed to fit in his own.

He failed.


	18. Chapter 18

When she'd held out her hand and asked if they could walk home together, Lena hadn't been certain of how Sans would react. His apparent laziness made her worry that he'd turn her down, wanting to take his shortcut home, instead. But then, another part of herself argued that he wouldn't have even offered an alternative if he was opposed to it. The two sides continued to argue up until the moment he felt her hand slide into his. Then, she was far too distracted by the feel of his hands to keep up a petty mental argument.

It felt...strange was the only word that she could think of at first to describe it. She was obviously holding a hand, but it didn't feel like a real hand, really, because it was hard bone and felt cooler than her own. But after a few seconds she could feel the gentle buzz of magic coming from within, and the warmth her own hand gave off was nurtured and returned even greater. The bones were smooth on the backs and the slightest bit rougher on his palm and fingers, as though they were to make up for the lack of fingerprints, and it was just so interesting, she wanted to get a closer look at them. Would that be rude? That would probably be rude, to suddenly start staring at someone's hands. She'd spent the first few minutes of the walk feeling the slightest bit flustered and silent, simply looking around at the scenery around them as they walked. After a while, Sans started talking about different places, making jokes, and she'd laughed much harder than it probably warranted because of the relief it brought her.

When they made it back to her apartment he was quick to pull his hand away, and she tried her best not to feel saddened by that motion, watching as he returned his hands safely to his pockets. "Thanks for taking me out. I guess I know where I'll be taking Brit on our next night out!" she said cheerfully, and he grinned up at her.

"Yeah, 's only the _hottest_ hang-out in Taobh." When she groaned he couldn't help but chuckle, and she felt her heart flutter at the genuine smile spread across his face. "His burgers are the best. Mickey-D's ain't no _match_ for Grilbz."

"You're right about that, he- ...Oh my god, Sans!" Lena tried to fight the smile from her face, oh she tried, but there was just no hope of it. Sans had already noticed, and he pulled out a hand to point a bony finger up at her.

"You're smiling. Point, Sans."

"You know that your name technically means 'without', so you said 'point without'. That means no point!" This seemed to surprise him from the way his eyesockets widened a bit.

"You humans have a meaning for everything, don't ya? What's your name mean, then?" he asked curiously, and she paused, thinking back.

"Well, my family is from Ireland...a country overseas, in Europe. In Irish, 'Leannán' means 'love'. My nickname, 'Lena'... I think it means 'with'..." Giving a small shrug of her shoulders, she continued, "But it could mean other things in other languages that I don't know. And I haven't exactly been using much Irish since I've grown up, so I could be wrong." He was staring at her, and she felt herself fidget slightly. "What?"

"Nothin'. Just amazes me still that you humans have so many different cultures an' languages. It's easy to forget just how big the world is up here..."

"Yeah... Maybe someday we can go see more of it," she said, voice a bit softer, and she felt a small flutter in her stomach when he smiled at her.

"I'd like that."

* * *

They'd parted just outside her door, him claming that he had to go check on Papyrus and Frisk, and she tried to ignore how awkward it felt (or how she imagined getting a kiss on her doorstep) before he disappeared from sight. Her apartment always felt far too quiet being in it alone...

She'd just sat down on the couch and turned on the television when a heavy bout of knocking came on her front door. Startled slightly, she quickly turned turned the tv off and tossed the remote onto the couch next to her, getting up and heading for the door. Maybe it was the skeleton brothers in need of help again? When she opened the door, though, she most certainly was not expecting to see Undyne's pointy grin. "Oh..."

"Sup, nerd! Alphys and I were in the area, and we decided we're gonna take you shopping!" It was so little a question that Lena found herself staring blankly, mind trying to comprehend what was going on. She had little time, though, because she suddenly found herself being pulled out of her apartment by her arm.

"W-wait, hang on a sec!" Her protests were ignored, and, when she saw that she was being taken to a car, sighed in submission. It didn't look like there would be much way of getting out of it...and she had been meaning to spend some 'girl time' with the both of them. _'What's the worst that could happen?'_

The back passenger side door of a yellow sports car was opened and Lena climbed in, the door barely missed hitting her backside. "H-hey there, Lena..." Alphys was in the passenger seat, turned around so she could give her a small wave. "Um, s-sorry if we're bothering you... Undyne was r-really wanting to hang out, and-"

"Alright, enough talkin', nerds! Let's go shopping!" Undyne had sounded so uncharacteristically giddy as she hopped into the driver's seat, all but slamming the door closed and jerking her seat belt across her body to clip it. The engine roared to life as they pulled far too quickly out of the parking lot and out onto the main road.

' _Please, God, let me survive this shopping trip...'_

They'd ended up stopping at a strip mall just on the outer edge of Taobh, closer to Tristin. There were a few humans who stopped and gave them dirty looks but, overall, it wasn't too bad of an experience. Monsters were more common the closer to Taobh you got. They walked into a store that seemed to sell more 'alternative' style clothing, and while it wasn't necessarily Lena's go-to style, Undyne's eye about popped out of her head.

"Dude, there's spikes on EVERYTHING! I had no idea humans had clothes that're so wicked!" She walked over to a rack of lingere and barked a laugh, holding out a spiked bra above Alphys' chest. "Check it out, babe, looks good on ya!" Alphys flushed red and stammered, gently pushing the article of clothing away while Undyne cackled. Lena rolled her eyes and smiled at the two of them, only feeling the smallest bit jealous of their relationship. _'They're so good together, and such a cute couple...'_ It hadn't surprised her in the least when she'd met them and found out they were together. Something about the way they interacted just made it obvious...that, and how protective Undyne was of her. That might've given it away just a bit.

"So, Lena. Y'like showin' your soul off to every skeleton, or is Sans a special case?" The question came so suddenly and out of nowhere that the human choked on air for a moment, pale cheeks flushing a deep red as she whirled around to look at Undyne. Her smile was sharp and the look in her eye was glinting amusement.

"I, um... Wh-what?" she stuttered, suddenly sounding much more like Alphys.

"Oh, come off it! Papyrus told me about it and I gotta say, I so called it." Wait, what?

"W-we ship the two of you... Y-you're our new OTP!" Alphys said eagerly and, oh god, Lena felt like her face was about to combust. This was why they wanted to bring her out. She rubbed at her cheek with one hand furiously, turning to glance idly through the clothing racks, if only to distract herself.

"I-I mean, that happened, yeah, but th-that doesn't mean..." Her voice trailed off feebly, and she suddenly found an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into Undyne's hard side.

"Listen, punk, I heard from Papyrus that it happened. It's a thing. Get over it." She tugged a bit harder and her arm was now suddenly around the human's neck, preventing her from escaping. "We're not gonna judge if you've got the hots for a skeleton, we just wanna help you realize it."

"B-but I don't..." Lena said weakly, her resolve slipping and Undyne, the huntress that she was, could sense it.

"You sayin' that you didn't like it? Him touchin' your soul? You sayin' you didn't want him to?" Lena felt like she could cry, she was so embarrassed. Sensing this, Alphys gently pat Undyne's arm, smiling nervously.

"M-maybe we should t-take it easy on her...? I-it can be pretty tough t-to deal with, realizing that you've got f-feelings for a monster..." Lena perked up then, her expression and tone nearly desperate.

"That's not it!" It surprised the two monsters, who simply looked at her in silence. "I-I just...o-ohh..." Lena raised her hands to hide her face, closing her eyes and mumbling behind her palms. "I-I just don't know if he...feels the same way..." Undyne laughed at that, loud and boisterous, and she released the human from her hold.

"You kiddin' me? Boneboy's got it _bad_ for you, girl!"

"H-huh...?" the human stuttered, and Alphys nodded eagerly, smiling brightly and eyes shining with a determination and interest she'd never seen before.

"Yeah, you two lovenerds just haven't realized it yet!" Undyne continued, pulling Lena into a hug and patting her on the head, much like a child. "And we're gonna change that! Right babe?"

"R-right! If we can get our OTP to get together, then things will be much more interesting...A-and our fanfictions will be canon-" She cut herself off at that, suddenly looking much like she'd spilled a secret, and Undyne continued talking to cover it.

"So how about it, girly? Let's pick out an outfit your boneboy will love!" The human's wrist was grabbed in a strong but gentle grip and began leading her through the store, picking out and holding up different clothing articles. After a while, Lena began to feel herself relax and...even enjoy herself. Despite her first meetings with them, they really were her friends.

"Hey, y'think Sans'll like this?" Lena turned to see what she was talking about when she felt her mouth go dry, all the heat rising to her face. She was holding a bra with what looked like skeletal hands groping the fabric. Her face was boiling. This was it. This was how she died. The way Undyne's eyebrows were wagging out of control was most certainly not helping.

"I am _not_ buying that." The childish whine the former Royal Guard captain released didn't help change her mind any, but the look of disappointment might've made her feel a bit guilty... But, but no! That was not an appropriate thing to wear! Ever! (Don't think about Sans seeing it in the bedroom, don't think about things like that, don't-) Her face burned and she jerked the article out of Undyne's hand, slamming it back onto the rack it had come from.

"Fiiiiine, you're no fun... Let us pick out an outfit then?"

"No underwear. None. Don't even give me that look, I'm not going to let you buy my undies!" Somehow, the smile Undyne gave wasn't any more reassuring. "I mean it!"

"Alright, alright! We're gonna pick out some other non-undies. C'mon babe, let's go look around!" She grabbed Alphys and vanished to another part of the store. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Lena found a bench by the changing rooms and sat down heavily, running a hand through her long auburn hair. _'Is hanging out with Undyne always this exhausting...?'_ She heard the monster whoop loudly from across the store and chuckled, smiling fondly. Like she could ever hold it against her.

Her phone buzzed loudly from within her pocket and she leaned over slightly, reaching in to retrieve it before settling back down. She had to only push the button on the side before she groaned, seeing who it was.

| **Brit** : Do skeletons put socks on their doorknobs when they're bangin? |

| **Lena** : Do not start with me. |

| **Brit** : Well he's obviously not THAT good if you're still able to text. |

| **Lena** : BRITNI! |

| **Brit** : Alright alright alright, calm your tits! How'd the date go? |

| **Lena** : It...wasn't a date, but it was fine. We went to Grillby's. It was amazing. |

| **Brit** : You and I will have to go there sometime. They've got a bar? |

| **Lena** : Yep. Amazing since the bartender is a fire elemental. |

| **Brit** : You mean a 'bartinder'. |

| **Lena** : Shut up. |

| **Lena** : It was fun, though. The walk back was nice, too. |

| **Brit** : Did you hold hands? |

...

| **Brit** : Oh my god, you did! You held hands with the skelly! So proud of you. |

| **Lena** : Can you not tease me please? |

| **Brit** : I'm gonna have to see him you know. Make sure of his intentions. |

| **Lena** : Please no, omg, I'm not ready for this. |

| **Brit** : Oh no, it's happening. I'm gonna cast judgement on the skellybro and see if he's right for you. |

| **Lena** : Sans doesn't feel like that about me, though! He even told Grillby that it wasn't a date... |

| **Brit** : Hmm... Maybe he's just shy. I don't think it's too soon to write it all off. |

| **Brit** : Who wouldn't wanna date you? With tits like those, UNF |

| **Lena** : Please no |

| **Brit** : I could always play the game, try to see if he gets jealous. |

| **Brit** : That sounds like fun, oh my god, can I please? |

| **Lena** : Nonononono please don't do this to me |

"Who're you talkin' to?" Undyne's sudden loud voice made her jump, phone nearly tumbling out of her hands and to the floor.

"Ah, j-just my friend Brit...she's being an ass. Don't worry about it," she muttered, jamming her phone back into her pocket. Her eyes glanced down at the bags Undyne was carrying on her arms and she raised a brow. "Finish shopping already?"

"In this store, yeah. On to the next one! I heard that there's an 'adult store' here, and I've always been dyin' to check one out!" How someone could say something like that so loudly in public was beyond her, and Lena felt like she could die of embarrassment on the spot. Apparently Alphys shared her feelings on the matter. "C'mon nerds, onward!" They were dragged out of the store by Undyne, and between that, the constant vibrations from her phone in her pocket, and her own thoughts, Lena really just wanted a break.

* * *

It hadn't been more than a few hours, but by the time Undyne's car pulled into the parking lot, Lena felt like crawling into her bed and taking a nap. The back seat had been crammed full of bags from various stores, taking up more space than she did. Undyne threw the car into park and turned around in her seat, sending the human a wide, sharp grin.

"Welp, hope we helped!" What were they supposed to help her with, again? "Now go up there and try on your new shit! Find an outfit boneboy will dig ya in!" Lena would wonder if she blushed at that, if her face hadn't been red the entire trip out. She whined and gave a weak slap to Undyne's shoulder who simply snickered at her. Even Alphys appeared amused by her embarrassment, hiding her smile behind a hand.

"Thanks..." the human muttered softly, grabbing the bags that she knew were hers and fumbling with the car door for a moment to get it open. She stumbled out and was just about to close the door when Undyne called out to her again. She stooped over a bit, peering back into the car.

"I know you're totally into him, but don't let him take you to the bone-zone without a proper date first!" Lena flared red from the tips of her ears to her shoulders and she slammed the door shut more forcibly than she'd really intended, but it didn't muffle Undyne's gleeful laugh any. The car sped off with tires squealing, leaving her standing alone in the parking lot, blushing like a schoolgirl. Her phone buzzed yet again in her pocket and she groaned loudly, gripping the bags tightly and stomping to her apartment. The front door was shoved open and the instant she got it closed behind her, she threw the bags to the floor and flopped face-first onto the couch, heaving a sigh.

Having friends could be so exhausting. Having friends who teased you relentlessly was even more so. Having Undyne teasing you was just pushing it.

She closed her eyes and rolled onto her side, glancing at one of the shopping bags. They'd gone through all the trouble of taking her shopping, even though she got very little say in what was bought. She couldn't really feel like she had a right to complain much, though, considering they'd paid for everything. _'I should have thanked them again before they left...'_ Giving another sigh, she sat up and pulled one of the bags just within her reach onto her lap, opening it and peering into it. It was the bag from the 'alternative' store and she noted, with a small whine, that everything had skulls or some form of bone on them. Of course they did. She reached in and pulled out a top and noted with a frown that it had "Bad to the BONE" written across the front in a bone-like font. It was sure to be comfortable, since it was so loose-fitting...but was she going to risk wearing it? She set it aside and pulled the next item out: a pair of gloves with skeletal hands printed on the backs. _'Did they get anything NOT skeleton related?! Why?!'_ There was a skirt, a pair of thigh-high socks, more shirts...everything with skeleton print on it. She wanted to sulk and shove the items to the back of her closet and refuse to ever let them see the light of day...but it would be rude not to at least try them on.

With a resigned sigh she pushed herself up from the couch, pulling her shirt off over her head and letting it drop to the floor. She kicked her shoes off and bent over as she pulled her jeans down her legs, having to give a little wiggle to get them over her hips and down her thighs.

A knock coming from the front door startled her so badly that she nearly fell over, her heart jumping up into her throat. She froze, waiting to see if it happened again, hoping and praying that it had just been in her mind. It happened again, and she carefully crept over to the door, peeking out to see who it was. Her face burst into crimson coloring for the hundredth time that day. Of course it was Sans! She had to hurry and answer the door. The last time she hadn't answered, Papyrus had just burst in. If Sans did that...

She'd never scrambled to get dressed so quickly in her life. She blindly grabbed clothes and pulled them on, only pausing to look down at herself when she heard a third knock. The "Bad to the BONE" shirt had gotten thrown on, along with a new pair of black jeans Undyne had picked out. _'Maybe he'll like it...?'_ Swallowing down her nervousness, she grabbed the gloves and pulled them on as well, making her way back to the door and opening it.

"H-hey!" She nearly winced at how nervous her own voice sounded to her, and she tried so hard to ignore how wide his eyesockets got when he saw her. _'Oh god, he's gonna laugh. He's gonna laugh or be offended, one of the two, oh my god, why did I agree to this-'_ He had a strange look on his face and he seemed to just...stare. She cleared her throat and his eyelights snapped up to her face, his cheekbones turning the faintest shade of blue. "C-can I help you with something...?"

"Uh... Oh. Tori, uh, I mean. Paps and Frisk made lasagna and wanted to know if, uh..." He turned away from her, raising a hand to scratch at the back of his skull, fingertips making a soft grating sound. "Wanna come eat with us?" She felt a small bit of her nervousness fade and she nodded, and he sighed. "Cool, cool."

"Lemme just get my shoes real quick," she said, turning back into her apartment, and he made a small choked sound. Looking back, his face was a much darker shade of blue, and he immediately turned around when he saw she was looking at him. Weird... She pulled her shoes on and joined him outside her door, locking it behind her and shoving the key into her front pocket. "Ready!"

"Okay, great." She waited for him to lead the way, but he didn't. He stood scuffing his shoes against the floor, hands shoved deeply into his coat pockets, eyelights refusing to meet her face. After a moment she frowned, tilting her head slightly to get a better look at his face.

"Everything okay...?" she asked, voice laced with concern, and he quickly shook his head. She was about to press further when her hand was suddenly grabbed, a bit too tightly, and it took her a few long seconds to realize that Sans was holding her hand. She felt her heart flutter happily in her chest and she gave his hand a small squeeze, smiling down at him and giving a gentle tug on his hand. He followed and walked beside her, though he still refused to look at her face. _'Maybe he's just shy...'_ That was what Brit had said, maybe she wasn't wrong afterall. The gentle thrum of magic she could feel beneath his fingers was intoxicating, and she found her hand moving to intertwine their fingers on its own. He released a small sound of surprise, arm twitching, and she was about to apologize when he squeezed her hand in return. There was a wide grin on his face, and the lights in his eyes looked brighter than she'd ever seen them.

Maybe it wasn't so bad afterall...

* * *

After she'd gotten home, a shower had sounded like a blessing. All that walking around had left her legs and back sore, and the hot water was sure to be the fastest relief. She locked up and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Just as she was about to walk across the bathroom to switch on the water, something caught her eye that made her heart skip an uncomfortable beat.

"No."

She twisted her upper body a bit to get a better look at her backside, the color slowly leaving then abruptly returning to her face all at once. "O-oh my god..." There was a skeletal hand printed on the back of the jeans Undyne had picked. ...Specifically placed over the right back pocket. It looked like a rogue skeleton hand was groping her ass, and Sans' embarrassment when she'd returned to get her shoes suddenly made so much sense. She fumbled for her phone and immediately hammered out two text messages, hitting the 'send' button a tad harder than necesary.

| **Sans** : Undyne and Alphys took me shopping. |

She prayed that would be explanation enough, because she really didn't want to talk about something so embarrassing. With her last text message she pursed her lips into a small frown, brows furrowing slightly.

| **Undyne** : You're the fucking worst. |


	19. Chapter 19

Sans decided that he would never get over how different they were. Even something as simple as their hands were so different, but he found himself fascinated by those differences, loving them. Her hand was soft and warm, and he could feel the bones that made up her hand lying just beneath the flesh. It made him want to hold her hand up, to inspect it, to feel each of the different bones and how they connected...but he didn't. The last thing he needed was her thinking he was a weirdo for wanting to stare at her hands.

When they finally started walking he was disappointed to find that she was silent, having hoped that she would talk about something, anything to fill the awkward air between them. But was it really awkward? Maybe she just hadn't wanted to get lost, holding his hand. ...But he knew that wasn't really true, didn't he? The way her soul's aura brightened when he took her hand told him that, loud and clear. _'This silence is gonna kill me.'_ So, without really thinking, he started talking. He talked about random buildings they passed, what they were for, when they were built. He even started to crack a few bad jokes, just to try and get her to relax. It worked, and he had to remind himself not to stare at her soul so obviously when it fluttered while she laughed. It was beautiful...

The walk back took a lot less time than he'd hoped, and soon enough, they were in front of her apartment. His mind mulled over the thought of giving her a 'goodbye kiss', like guys always did at the end of dates in movies. He pulled his hand away quickly, shoving them into his pockets so she didn't notice how they trembled slightly at the mere thought.

"Thanks for taking me out. I guess I know where I'll be taking Brit on our next night out!" He felt a bit let down that she was only thinking of taking her best friend there again, but what had he expected? It's not like they'd gone on a date or anything. He forced a grin onto his face and flexed his fingers in his pockets.

"Yeah, 's only the _hottest_ hang-out in Taobh," he said, a genuine smile bursting across his features as she groaned in dissatisfaction of his pun. It encouraged him to make another. "His burgers are the best. Mickey-D's ain't no _match_ for Grilbz."

"You're right about that, he-" she began, then paused, her face fighting the smile that tried to overtake it. "...Oh my god, Sans!" He chuckled and pulled a hand from his pocket, pointing a bony index finger up at her smiling face.

"You're smiling. Point, Sans," he said triumphantly.

"You know that your name technically means 'without', so you said 'point without'. That means no point!" she teased, and his expression fell into one of surprise, eyesockets widening. He hadn't been expecting that. _'Cheater.'_

"You humans have a meaning for everything, don't ya?" Curiosity began to nip at the back of his skull and, before he could silence himself, asked, "What's your name mean, then?" She took a moment as if pondering the answer, and he berated himself mentally, wondering why he'd ask such a stupid question.

"Well, my family is from Ireland...a country overseas, in Europe." This surprised him, as well, and he tried to think back to the world atlas he'd glanced over the last time he'd been in the library. He told himself to be sure to look again next time he was there. "In Irish, 'Leannán' means 'love'." _'No surprise there, heh...'_ "My nickname, 'Lena'... I think it means 'with'... But it could mean other things in other languages that I don't know. And I haven't exactly been using much Irish since I've grown up, so I could be wrong." _'There's so much to her that I have no idea about, even though I've taken a look insider her soul... 'With' and 'without', huh? Wonder if its as fitting as it sounds...'_ "What?" she asked suddenly, and he realized only then that he'd been staring off into space, directly at her.

"Nothin'," he lied, "Just amazes me still that you humans have so many different cultures an' languages. It's easy to forget just how big the world is up here..." That was true enough. The Underground had been so small compared to the world they were in now. It was almost intimidating to think about. Part of him wondered if he'd ever be able to see anything more of the world outside of their small town. Part of him doubted it.

"Yeah... Maybe someday we can go see more of it." Her voice was softer and it made his soul do a funny little flop in his chest, and he felt himself grin stupidly up at her.

"I'd like that." Seeing the world with Lena didn't sound so bad... He wondered if the stars looked any different anywhere else in the world. Sure, he knew that the world turned, and the stars were changing all the time, but maybe somewhere else, somewhere higher up... "Well, I'd better get back. Make sure Paps and the kid don't break anythin'." There was a slight silent pause, and he thought, again, of how the dates in movies usually ended. Turning on his heel quickly to hide the faint touch of blue across his cheekbones, he waved over his shoulder and headed back toward his own apartment.

He took a bit longer walking back than it would've normally taken, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He was sure the kid was going to give him a hard time as soon as he got back, and he wasn't particularly looking forward to it... By the time he finally shuffled his way to the front door and opened it, Frisk and Papyrus were sitting in the living room watching a movie. They both turned once they heard the door close, smiling.

"BROTHER! YOU HAVE RETURNED JUST IN TIME! HUMAN FRISK AND I ARE PREPARING TO WATCH ANOTHER METTATON SPECIAL!" Sans felt his smile falter at the mention of the cyborg and shrugged his shoulders.

"Cool, knock yourself out, Paps. I'm prolly gonna take a nap-" A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and he was pulled forcibly backwards onto the couch, landing with an 'omph' as his skull hit the cushion behind him. "What's up?" Frisk was staring at him intently, their eyes focused with an almost laser precision on his face. He felt himself begin to sweat nervously.

" _How did it go?"_ Here it comes. The questions.

"Eh, it was fine. Took 'er to Grillby's, had a burger n' fries. Nothin' special." They gave him an exasperated look.

" _Did you tell her it was a date?"_ Papyrus was interested now, turning and looking at his brother expectantly. Sans felt himself begin to fidget nervously, and he huffed a sigh.

"No. Cus it wasn't a date. Just two friends goin' to get some grub, no big dea-"

"I'M AFRAID I HAVE TO DISAGREE, BROTHER! IT WAS MOST CERTAINLY A BIG DEAL BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY DRESSED UP FOR IT, AND THAT IS STEP THREE OUT OF THE DATING HANDBOOK!" Of course Papyrus would know, since he actually owned the dating handbook. "DO YOU NOT LIKE LENA? I HAD ASSUMED, SINCE SHE SHOWED YOU HER SOUL-"

"You _saw that_?" His cheeks were a burning blue, and he shot Frisk a glare as they giggled quietly at him. Papyrus simply nodded, as though it were a simple fact and _not_ the most embarrassing thing in Sans' life.

"WHY OF COURSE. YOU WERE BOTH OUT ON THE BALCONY FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND I HAD GROWN WORRIED. BUT THEN I SAW THE TWO OF YOU AND I DID NOT WISH TO INTERRUPT..." At this Papyrus began to grow quiet, glancing nervously over at his brother. "YOU LOOKED QUITE HAPPY, SANS. AND... THE WAY YOU WERE LOOKING AT HER SOUL WAS VERY, UM... IT WAS..." Sans groaned loudly and raised his hands to cover his face, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Alright alright, I get it, you saw."

"SO THEN...DO YOU NOT HAVE ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR LENA?" He stiffened, a pulse of...something...going through his soul, and he had neither the time nor patience to try and decipher it right then.

"I...fuck, Paps, I dunno. I'm not supposed to..."

"WHYEVER NOT, BROTHER?" The question was so innocent, and stars, Sans didn't want to be having this talk, much less with his own younger brother and the kid.

"Because, I'm... I mean she's...she's a human, and she could have any human guy she wanted," he mumbled, realizing that yes, it was true. She was a lucky catch for anyone, human or monster, and she could surely have anyone she wanted.

" _But she doesn't want any human guy,"_ Frisk piped up then, signing quickly, and Sans pushed their hands away from him, sighing heavily.

"Look, can we just...not talk about this?"

"BUT SANS, WHY WOULD YOU ALLOW HER TO SEE _YOUR_ SOUL IF YOU DIDN'T-"

"I don't know!" he suddenly snapped, throwing his hands up in the air, and he felt guilty as Frisk flinched backwards. It took him a moment to be aware of it, but his left eye was glowing, his other socket empty and black. His emotions had gotten away from him. Fuck. "It's...she's a human, I'm not supposed to wanna- ... It's complicated."

"Brother...?" Papyrus asked, his voice quiet, browbones drawn together in concern. A hiss of air slipped past Sans' teeth as he sighed, running a hand over his skull in frustration.

"I...don't know how to deal with it," he muttered softly, feeling his face heat up again with a blush; this was embarrassing. "'m not used to feelin' so much at once, 'bout anythin', much less a person..." It scared him. He, who faced hundreds of resets, who faced death, his brother's dust, the genocide of his entire race, was afraid of his feelings. _'Some badass I am.'_ He felt a hand on his shoulder and chanced a glance over to see Papyrus, looking at him in a way that made his soul tear just a little.

"YOU SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF HER, BROTHER! FEELING SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE IS A WONDERFUL THING, ISN'T IT? YOU SHOULD EMBRACE THAT!" God, was he honestly getting relationship advice from his baby brother? Since when was Papyrus so big that Sans needed comforting from him? (The answer was a long time, because he'd always gotten that sort of comfort from him, even if he chose not to acknowledge it.) "IF YOU ARE AFRAID OF HER NOT LIKING YOU IN RETURN, THEN I MUST SAY, YOU REALLY ARE A NUMBSKULL!" The pun made the faintest bit of a smile tug at Sans' mouth, and Papyrus eagerly continued. "DO YOU NOT NOTICE HOW MUCH HER SOUL BRIGHTENS WHEN YOU ARE AROUND? I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT AS WELL AS YOU OR FRISK, BUT I CAN FEEL IT!" Frisk nodded enthusiastically, hands moving as they signed.

" _She smiles a lot more when you're around! And her soul's a lot happier, too! I can see it!"_ They nodded again sagely, as though they had just said a simple fact, and Sans couldn't help but chuckle.

"You think so...?"

"WE KNOW SO! YOU MUST SHOW HER HOW YOU FEEL, LEST SOMEONE ELSE SNATCHES HER OUT FROM UNDER YOU!" That wasn't a pleasant thought, but maybe Papyrus was right... Maybe he should tell her, or show her. "YOU ARE STILL UNCERTAIN? TELL ME, HAS SHE MADE ANY KIND OF ADVANCES SINCE THEN?" Frowning a bit, Sans tried to think back.

"Well... She did want to hold hands on the walk back from Grillby's." The way Frisk covered their mouth and started giggling made him feel a tad flustered, and he scratched at the back of his skull. "But that could've been because she didn't wanna get lost..." Papyrus and Frisk both shot him a look of disbelief and annoyance, and he hunched his shoulders defensively.

"YOU REALLY ARE A BONEHEAD."

* * *

The three of them stayed on the couch, Frisk curling into the shorter skeleton's side, hands clutching at his jacket. They had admitted that his magic flaring up had scared them, and he'd soothed them by scratching his bony fingers through their scalp apologetically. Despite all the shit they'd gone through together and caused for one another, he really did love that kid. Dinner time came and Papyrus insisted on teaching Frisk a recipe Lena had taught him. Sans stayed a safe distance away from the kitchen, slumped in the corner of the couch and watching from afar.

"NOW, HUMAN, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK!" he declared loudly, and Frisk nodded, completely focused. "YOU MUST LAYER THE INGREDIENTS CAREFULLY, IN ORDER! BUT FIRST!" He grabbed the spoon setting on the counter and scooped up a spoonful of the tomato sauce, dumping it into the baking dish and smearing it all around. "DOING THIS KEEPS THE NOODLES FROM STICKING TO THE PAN, SHE SAID! AND SO IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE!" Frisk signed something enthusiastically and grabbed one of the long, flat noodles, laying it across the bottom of the pan. Papyrus called out the order of ingredients while the child carefully followed, doing just as he said. By the time the lasagna was covered and put into the oven, there was a knock on the front door. "SANS, CAN YOU GET THE DOOR?"

"Sure thing bro." His hand glowed faintly and the door opened, and he could hear his brother groan in aggravation, saying something about 'lazy bones'. A familiar face poked in and he felt himself grin lazily, "Hey Tori. Here for the kid?"

"Hello, Sans! And yes, I came to get Frisk- oh!" She jumped slightly, surprised by the arms suddenly tight around her waist, and she chuckled. "Hello, my child!" She rested her paw atop their head, petting their hair gently. "Are you ready to go?" When Frisk shook their head fervently, she raised a brow.

" _I helped Papyrus make lasagna! Can we stay and eat it with them?'_ The queen touched a finger to her chin, thinking, and Frisk sent her their best 'puppy dog eyes'. She laughed and bent down to nuzzle her nose against the top of their head.

"I suppose that's alright, so long as they do not mind. I had not come up with any plans for dinner anyhow." Sans shrugged and his grin widened as Frisk practically bounced on their toes, looking to him for an answer.

"Suppose it's alright. Paps, you up for company?" Like he needed to ask.

"OF COURSE! I SHALL MAKE SURE TO MAKE MY BEST GARLIC BREAD TO ACCOMPANY THE LASAGNA! THE HUMAN LENA TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE IT, AND THAT IT IS A GOOD THING TO SERVE WITH PASTA DISHES!"

When did she become such a constant in his life? Papyrus was talking about her every day, it seemed like. Why had he been so opposed to opening up to her again? He honestly couldn't remember. If he could go back in time, he'd tell himself to stop being stupid and just let her be his friend. _'Is that all she is anymore, though...?'_ A small frown pulled its way onto his face and he glanced out the window, up at the darkening sky that was already beginning to dot with stars.

"Do you know if Lena will be joining us?" Toriel suddenly asked, and Sans glanced over at her, giving a simple shrug. Frisk was sending him a knowing smirk and he growled softly, tugging his hood up to cover his face.

" _Should we go invite her? Uncle Sans wants her to come over!"_ The damn kid was putting words in his mouth, but the way his soul fluttered when he thought of her coming over made him a little less frustrated about it.

"Oh, that is a splendid idea, my child! I shall text her right away!" Toriel moved to pull out her phone but was stopped by Frisk grabbing her paws, shaking their head.

" _Uncle Sans should go ask her."_ He felt himself stiffen, eyesockets narrowing as he sent them a small glare. They simply stuck their tongue out at him and moved to stand behind Toriel, who was giving him a knowing smile.

"Yes, you are right. Sans, would you mind it terribly if you went and asked Lena to join us for dinner?" _'She knows the answer to that, she's just teasing me...'_ Heaving a sigh, he pushed himself off the couch and to his feet, stretching his arms above his head with a grunt.

"Sure, no prob." He left the apartment quickly, seeing Frisk's hands moving again and not really feeling up for what they had to say. As soon as the door to his apartment closed behind him he heard Toriel giggle. Yep, definitely not something he wanted to hear. Having it out in the open was too embarrassing. This was why he kept things to himself. No teasing if nobody knew about it.

...How blinded had he really been, to not realize something that everyone else could see so plainly?

Shaking his head, he shoved his hands into his pockets and started heading toward the human's apartment, his steps slowing the slightest bit the closer he got. It wasn't like he was asking her out, he was just asking her to come over and eat with them. It was something they'd done countless times before. When he finally reached the door that he knew was hers he pulled his hand out and rapped his knuckles gently against the door, waiting for it to open.

...Except that it didn't. Frowning slightly, he knocked again, stepping a bit closer as he tried to listen for movement on the other side. There was definitely movement, but it didn't sound like it was coming any closer to the door. _'What's the deal?'_ He tried again, knocking a third time and leaning against the side of the door frame. Then the door was suddenly ripped open and he jumped back slightly, feeling the smallest bit of relief that she actually answered. That relief, however, was quickly drowned out when he actually saw her.

The first thing he noticed was the pun, and god, he wanted to laugh at it, but there were other things that were just far too distracting. His eyes darted over her outfit, taking note of the skeletal hands that seemed to suddenly replace her own- oh, those were just gloves?- and the first thing he wondered was why the hell she was wearing something like that. _'Is she wearin' that for...me...?'_

"H-hey!" she said, voice a little too high pitched and loud, and his eyes flickered up to her face, seeing how red her face was. The freckles across her cheeks were difficult to see, she was so red. Part of him was wondering just how red she could get, while the other part was wondering why she was so nervous. _'She is... Oh shit, holy shit, fuck-'_ Lena suddenly cleared her throat, and he quickly looked up to her face, embarrassed at having been caught staring. "C-can I help you with something...?" Oh. Right. He had a reason for coming over, didn't he?

"Uh..." he began, oh so intelligently, and it took him a moment to remember why he'd actually come over in the first place. "Oh. Tori, uh, I mean. Paps and Frisk made lasagna and wanted to know if, uh..." Why was it so difficult to ask her to come eat with them? She'd had dinner with them so many times, why was it suddenly different? Feeling his hands fidget nervously, he reached up to scratch at the back of his skull, glancing away from her. "Wanna come eat with us?" he asked, glancing up at her face just long enough to catch her nod her answer. "Cool, cool."

"Lemme just get my shoes real quick." He was about to say something, like 'alright' or 'no rush', but the instant she turned around, he saw it. A skeletal hand design sewn into the back pocket. His face flared with his blush and he choked on air that he didn't technically have lungs to breathe in the first place, and when she turned to see what the noise was, he very quickly and promptly turned away from the door entirely. _'Why is she wearing that? Why is she wearing that? Why-'_ "Ready!" She was suddenly outside standing next to him, looking at him expectantly, and he couldn't quite deal just yet.

"Okay, great," he rushed out, eyes refusing to meet her face- or her anything. He stared at anything that _wasn't_ her, afraid that he'd get embarrassed if he did. It was obvious that she was onto him, though, because she leaned her head a little to look at him more, and he could see her frown.

"Everything okay...?" No, everything was NOT okay. It was entirely unfair of her to wear something that cute. He was suddenly overcome by the strong desire to reach out and touch her, to feel her flesh beneath his fingertips, the differences between them. His hand had acted on its own, because the next thing he knew, her hand was in his, and he found himself wishing she wasn't wearing gloves because he couldn't feel her as well this way. Was she gonna tell him to let go? Was he holding on too tightly? God, why was this so scary? It was just holding hands.

The glow from her soul brightened and he could _feel_ her smile at him, and he only gave a small grunt when she suddenly adjusted their hands so that their fingers were intertwined. He could feel even more of her this way, her flesh warming the spaces between his bones, and he couldn't help the stupid wide grin that all but split his skull. The happy thrum of his soul was slowly becoming a more familiar sensation.

* * *

It wasn't until after dinner and everyone had returned to their respective homes that he checked his phone. The messages waiting for him had him groaning outloud, and he wanted to throw his phone across the room.

| **Toriel** : Did you pick out that outfit for her? It looks quite nice on her. I have got to _hand_ it to you, they were quite flattering of her _ass_ ets. |  
| **Sans** : * i can normally appreciate a good pun but oh my god tori |  
| **Toriel** : Are you saying that the clothing was not of your choosing? It certainly seemed like something you would pick for her. |

| **Sans** : * no i didn't i've never seen her wear that before, why would i pick that for her? |

| **Sans** : * don't answer that. dunno what frisk and paps told you but i'm not up to anything like that. |

| **Toriel** : I said nothing of the sort, Sans. You are awfully defensive for someone who is supposedly "not up to anything". |

Groaning loudly, he pulled his hood up to hide the embarrassed look on his face, tapping a reply furiously before shoving his phone back into his pocket. Bed. He needed to get ready for bed, and not deal with these flustering situations and conversations anymore. Today had been more than he'd ever wanted to put up with.

Just as he pushed himself up and was getting ready to go to bed, his phone buzzed again, and he contemplated turning it off without checking...but his curiosity got the better of him.

| **Lena** : Undyne and Alphys took me shopping. |

Ah... That explained a lot. Looks like he was gonna have a talk with Undyne later. He could only imagine how embarrassed she was when she got home and noticed. He dropped his phone onto his mattress and soon joined it, flopping across the sheets lazily without even bothering to change. He fell into a light, dreamless sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

The winter break had seemed to drag by, and Lena was so happy for the time off that she'd gotten. Time to spend with her loved ones was especially precious to her, and she'd so enjoyed every moment of it that she didn't even miss the holiday. Celebrating Christmas with her family always felt like such a chore, like they were just getting together because that's what you're supposed to do. It never really felt like they actually wanted to spend time with one another, not like how she felt with her new friends. Even something as simple as sitting on the couch and watching a movie was special, and she felt a little silly for thinking so, but that was just how she felt.

Of course, the break had to end eventually, and it was with only the smallest feeling of regret that she left her apartment early in the morning, dressed in her professional slacks and emerald button-up. She'd already agreed to take Frisk to school from then on to save Toriel the trip, so when she found herself outside the queen's apartment and gave a small knock, she wasn't surprised to be greeted by Frisk. "Hey kiddo! You ready to go?" she asked cheerfully, giving a small chuckle when they shrugged their shoulders.

 _"I guess so."_ She didn't blame them not wanting to go back; every kid hated the first day back after a break. For Frisk, though, there was probably much more to it than that. Her mind flashed back to the last day before the break, where Frisk was bruised, scared, and hiding. The ache she felt in her chest was almost enough to disturb the smile on her face, but she kept it up, reaching out to pat the child on the head.

"Good. We'll see you later, Tori!" she called into the apartment, closing the door as Frisk jogged out of the doorway and toward the parking lot. "Have you eaten yet?" she asked, and they nodded their head. Of course they have! As if Toriel would ever dare let her child leave her home without being fed first. She chuckled, "Well, I haven't. Wanna stop and grab some cinnamon bunnies on the way?" The way their face lit up made the answer obvious and she smiled, unlocking her vehicle and climbing in. "Buckle up!"

She stopped by Mrs. Bunny's store and picked up a dozen of the little bunny-shaped buns before getting on the road headed toward Tristin. Frisk must have eaten at least four by themselves, and she'd limited herself to only having two. She wanted to tell them to be sure not to get an upset stomach, but she noticed that, the closer they got to town, the more quiet and fidgety they got. If an extra cinnamon bunny would help them feel better, then so be it.

The school eventually came into view and she pulled into an available parking space, turning the key and shutting off the engine. Frisk's face was a bit paler, and their hands were gripping at the denim of their pants just over their knees, and when Lena reached a hand over to gently rest on their shoulder, she felt them flinch. "Hey, it'll be okay. If you have any problems, just text me, okay? I'll see you at the end of the day!" She sent them her best and most reassuring smile, and it was small, but she considered it a victory when they seemed to relax.

A small wave was all they shared as they parted ways, Frisk heading to their classroom and Lena walking to the teacher's workroom. The box of cinnamon bunnies was in her hands, and she shifted it to her hip to open the door. Inside was a small group of teachers and other employees. When she entered the room they all quickly separated, falling silent. This didn't bode well.

"Oh, uh, morning Miss O'Brennike! You have a good break?" an intern asked cheerfully, his smile a bit too wide to be genuine. She nodded and set the box onto the center table in the room, flipping the lid open with a bright smile. She didn't miss the disgusted looks a few of the other people in the room gave the cinnamon bunnies, but she chose to ignore them.

"Yeah, break was great! I moved out of my friend's place and met a bunch of new people. How was yours?"

The two of them carried on a bit of polite conversation until the bell rang, which signaled the beginning of class, and several of the people in the room began filing out. Lena turned to her desk to log in and begin her day's work, only to pause...something was off. Her desk's surface had been cleared. Pulling open the drawers, she discovered that they, too, were emptied out. _'Maybe they're moving me again?'_ she wondered, shrugging her shoulders and giving the computer mouse a small jiggle to make the screen light up. Tristin Elementary's employee log-in page popped up and she leaned over slightly, fingers tapping lightly across the keyboard as she put in her information.

 **[ No Account Found ]**

Frowning, she tried again, only to receive the same message. She tried again, this time while looking down at the keyboard and pressing each key individually, carefully. _'What's going on...?'_ She stood up and turned around to ask someone. There were a couple people sitting at their own desks, turned in their chairs to watch her. When they saw she'd turned around they quickly returned to staring at their own screens.

"Oh, there you are, Miss O'Brennike." A stern male voice came suddenly from behind her and, when she turned, she saw the principal looking at her, thick grey brows furrowed over his worn brown eyes. "I need a word with you, if I may... Please, come to my office." Nervously, she smiled and nodded, following after him as he led the way out of the room. She caught the glances of a few other people, and their expressions were all pitying. Once they were in the main office, the receptionists immediately gathered together and started whispering loudly to one another, casting wicked and amused glances Lena's way. _'What's happening? Why am I being asked into the office?'_ She felt much like a small child being told to go see the principal, no matter how foolish that might be. The amount of fear she felt fluttering in her belly was enough to make her feel nauseous. The door to the principal's office closed solidly behind her, and when he gestured toward one of the chairs on the opposite side of his desk, she sat down stiffly. Her smile was still firmly in place, though her eyes were nervously flitting about.

"You needed to speak to me about something, Mr. Atlas?" she asked, managing to keep the nervous titter out of her voice. He sat down in his large leather desk chair and heaved a sigh, bending out of sight behind his desk for a moment before returning with a box. He set it heavily on top of his desk. It was full of her personal items she'd had in her desk.

"There have been some...troublesome rumors going about, Miss O'Brennike, and I must admit that they are worrisome," he began easily, his voice deep and gravelly as if he spoke too loudly far too often. Now, though, his voice was uncharacteristically soft, and it did little to calm her nerves. "Is it true that you have started living in Taobh?" She was surprised by the question, and it took her a moment to reply.

"Well, yes. I moved there a few weeks ago."

"I see..." He sounded troubled by this, but he pressed on. "I've heard that you have become rather friendly with those- ah, monsters... A few of our teachers saw you out and about with one just the other day. You were holding its hand, from what they say." Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink; they'd seen her out with Sans.

"Yes, sir, they're very good friends of mine..." He quirked a heavy brow at this, and she continued. "I don't see what this has to do with my employment." Right to the heart of the matter. Now that it was made obvious she knew where this was going, he lost a bit of his softness, shoulders squaring rigidly.

"It would not be good for the students if someone who fraternized so openly with monsters were to become a teacher here... I am sure you understand." Her heart clenched painfully in her chest and she felt tears pricking her eyes, but she forced them back.

"No, sir, I don't understand."

"Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be... You will be paid for the next two months if you leave peacefully. If you don't..." His tone took a bit of a darkness to it that made her shudder, color draining from her face. "...we will fire you, and you will receive no pay. Please do the smart thing and take your things and go." What was going on? Her mind raced as she struggled to comprehend just what was going on, why this was happening. Even as she got to her feet and picked up the paper box full of her belongings, it was as if she was on autopilot. The receptionists were still talking rather loudly, though they quieted a bit once Lena passed through.

"...Serves her right."

She felt a dark wave wash over her, her hands gripping more tightly at the box, but she fought it back, fought it down. As she made her way through the front entrance to the school, she realized it was with a sudden finality that the doors clicked loudly shut behind her. The walk to her car felt like it took ages, her feet dragging against the sidewalk, through a patch of filthy slush, but she paid no attention to it. She dropped the box into the passenger seat and closed the driver's side door behind her, staring at the steering wheel for a long while. A minute, two, six, ten, twenty? How long had she spent sitting there, staring blankly? Numb fingers pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped across the screen.

| **Lena** : Level 10. |

* * *

How did she get here? Lena didn't remember driving anywhere. When had she turned on her car and gotten on the road, heading toward Taobh? She couldn't remember, but that's where she was now, movements stiff and automatic as she pulled into the first available parking space. She pressed the break until her foot hit the floor, held the gear shift firmly, put the vehicle into park, grabbed the key, twisted, shut off the engine, lifted her foot. That was how her thoughts were, every movement being given a tab, like in an internet browser. Every task she did made more tabs, and even something as simple as reaching and opening her door left open so many tabs that it felt like her brain was going to burst. Everything was far too loud, far too bright, far too much. Why? When had this happened?

Her feet scraped against the pavement, loud in her own ears, though it wasn't nearly so in reality. Her expression was empty, she _felt_ empty. Was it better than feeling what she was supposed to feel? She didn't know. Did she ever know? Why was she doing this again?

As she climbed the stairs to her apartment, her foot caught on one, and she didn't move nearly quick enough to catch herself from falling. Her cheek dug roughly into the edge of the step, a hot white ache of pain across her jaw, and she actually laid there for a half second longer than she should have, before she finally pushed herself up again. She was almost there. So close.

The door was in sight, and she moved numb fingers to pull out her key, inserting it and turning it in the lock. The faint click was far too sharp in her hypersensitive ears, and as soon as the door was opened, she dropped her key to the carpet and pushed the door shut behind her.

Closing doors. Closing doors. Only ever closing doors.

She could feel even more of that ugly, thick emotion welling up in her chest, but she forced it down, shaking her head and heading back to her bedroom. Once there, she went straight to her bedside table and opened the drawer, pulling out the only thing she needed right then. They were headphones, the kind built to cup over your ears instead of being ear buds, and as she slipped them over her ears, she felt a small bit of relief. Too small. Not enough. She plugged the jack into her phone and turned on music, the sound pouring through the speakers just over her ears, and it was too loud, but she felt comforted by it somehow. With her phone in her hands, she quickly tapped out a message, sending it to Papyrus.

| **Lena** : I can't bring Frisk home today. Please could you, Tori or Sans do it? Thanks. |

With the message sent, she tucked her legs beneath her and closed her eyes, leaning against the wall as she tried to tune out her mind.

However long she'd been trying, it wasn't working. The dark waves were still lapping at her, now reaching up to her knees, pulling her deeper. It made her feel like breath was hard to come by, and she didn't want to name these ugly feelings, wanting them to just disappear. A loud banging sound sent a sharp pain through her head, and she winced, cracking an eye open to glance around. Her clock read that it was already just past noon. Funny. She hadn't even noticed.

After a bit more banging, there was silence. Then, the sound of something sliding against metal, and suddenly there was a loud voice in her living room. "HUMAN! ARE YOU THERE? HUMAN BRIT HAS VERY NEARLY BLOWN UP MY PHONE ASKING THAT I COME AND WATCH OVER YOU, THOUGH I TRIED TO TELL HER YOU DID NOT REQUIRE IT." Papyrus? The shuffling sounds grew louder as he apparently searched for her, until, finally, her bedroom door was pushed open gently and he peeked his skull into the room. "AH, THERE YOU ARE! HUMAN, DID YOU NOT HAVE WORK TO DO TODAY? DO NOT TELL ME THAT MY BROTHER'S LAZY HABITS HAVE RUBBED OFF ON YOU SO EASILY!" He sounded so cheerful. He always sounded so cheerful, just like she did, like she was supposed to be. She must have been quiet for too long, because he crept into the room, carefully kneeling to sit in front of her. His browbones were drawn together in an expression of concern, the closest thing to a frown that he could muster on his face. He wasn't supposed to look like that, why was he looking at her that way? "HUMAN...? IS...SOMETHING THE MATTER?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but the only sound that came out was a choked sob, and she quickly raised a hand to cover her mouth. It was only then she even realized the tears that had betrayed her, streaming down her reddened and freckle-dusted cheeks. Papyrus seemed to grow a bit frantic, his gloved hands moving out to touch her without actually ever making contact, hovering just over her arms and shoulders. She used every ounce of will she could muster to keep her cries silent, though her shoulders still shook subtly with each and every one, her breath hitching with little hiccuping inhales. He whined a 'nyeh' helplessly, looking around the room as if looking for help, but no one was there. After a moment, she felt him pull her to his chest, one bony arm wrapping around her shoulders while her other hand rested on the back of her head, and she closed her eyes tightly. A soft light permeated her eyelids and, when she cracked them open to look through tearfully, she saw that his eyesockets were glowing with a warm orange light. It wasn't overly bright, but it lit up the dark space in her bedroom like a nightlight, and the sniffle she gave sounded more watery than it had before.

Papyrus really was a good friend.

They stayed like that for a long while, until they could hear the front door burst open, and a voice frantically called out. "Lena?! Lena, are you alright?!" Hurried footsteps approached the bedroom, and Brit stood there suddenly, panting heavily, out of breath, face red from exertion. Her short hair was mussed beyond recognition, sticking up every which-way, and the clothes she wore looked like they'd just been thrown on. It even looked like the shirt she had was inside out. "Lena!" As soon as the frantic human was visible, Lena felt herself crumbling, the tears gathering and falling more quickly from her eyes, and Papyrus' eyes glowed an even brighter orange in an attempt to comfort her.

Lena shoved herself away from Papyrus and toward her friend Brit, the taller human landing on her knees as she caught the other in her arms, which immediately wound around her. "Shhhhh, shhh, hey, shhh, it's okay." Lena's body began to tremble with repressed emotion, and Brit narrowed her eyes, glancing over at Papyrus. "Movie night later."

"HUH?" He looked surprised, which was only natural, and he flinched at the human's direct and terse tone.

"You and Sans are comin' over later for a movie night. But I need you to get out right now. Don't come until I text you." He frowned slightly, glancing between the two humans and the door. "Go!" He quickly got to his feet and stumbled out of the apartment, chancing a glance back just before the door closed behind him. He could hear a wail erupt, muffled, from behind the door, and his soul clenched painfully in his chest. What could have possibly upset the human so much...? That was the answer he was struggling to discover as he walked back to his and his brother's apartment.

"Hey, bro, sup-" Sans lazy tone cut itself off, and it was only then that Papyrus realized his eyes were still glowing, magic reacting to the thought of wanting to comfort the human. "Everythin' okay...?" he asked cautiously, frowning when Papyrus made a small uncertain noise.

"I AM...NOT CERTAIN. THE HUMAN LENA IS VERY UPSET ABOUT SOMETHING..."

"Wh- she's home now?"

"YES. HUMAN BRIT SENT ME SEVERAL TEXT MESSAGES AND PHONE CALLS TELLING ME TO GO AND CHECK ON HER. I WAS NOT CERTAIN WHY LENA NEEDED CHECKING ON, BUT WHEN I GOT THERE, SHE WAS IN DISTRESS!"

"That's...huh..." He fumbled with words to say, though he didn't really need them; Papyrus knew what he meant. "Brit's there now..?" he asked, getting to his feet, and Papyrus nodded.

"YES, SHE IS...THOUGH, SHE KICKED ME OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO VISIT UNTIL SHE TEXTS US AND SAYS SO." Sans fell silent, as did Papyrus, his teeth grinding together nervously as he fidgeted with his hands, picking at his gloves. "SANS, DO YOU...DO YOU THINK THE HUMAN WILL BE ALRIGHT...?" Sans shrugged his shoulders, making a lazy smile spread across his face.

"Ay, Brit's there, and she's her best friend. 'm sure it'll be fine."

The distinct sound of sobbing came through the wall and Sans' eyelights dimmed to nearly blackness, his smile a bit tight on his face.

'' _m sure it'll be fine...'_


	21. Chapter 21

It was possibly the longest four hours of his life

"I BELIEVE IN THE HUMAN BRIT, SO I AM CERTAIN THAT HUMAN LENA WILL BE FINE!" was Papyrus' determined and hopeful declaration, though the small, distressed noises he made every few minutes and the worried glances he kept sending in the direction of the human's apartment did little to support that claim. Sans did his best to keep himself preoccupied. The sounds permeating the drywall did little to help him keep his mind on the quantum physics book clenched tightly between his bony fingers, though, and soon enough he found himself sitting slouched against the armrest of the couch, eyes closed as he tried to listen more closely. The read on her soul was difficult to grasp, but it was chaotic. It writhed as if it were a wounded animal in a great amount of pain, and it did things to his own soul that were far from pleasant.

' _When the fuck do we get to go over there?!'_ He growled and dragged his fingertips along his skull, pressing against his closed eyesockets. His patience was beginning to wear thin, which was unusual for him. He tried to blame it on the fact that it had been hours without hearing a single thing from the humans, except for that he could discern through the walls. Even though they were unclear, they were sounds he never, _ever_ wanted to hear again.

When his brother's phone finally went off he watched from the couch as he lunged for it, hands trembling with the nervousness that he'd been trying to keep from leaking onto his expression. "IT IS FROM THE HUMAN BRIT! SHE SAYS THAT WE MAY COME OVER NOW." Sans nodded and pushed himself to his feet, fighting the urge to cut a doorway straight into her living room and joining Papyrus at the doorway. He suddenly looked unsure of himself. "SHOULD WE PERHAPS BRING SNACKS FOR HER? METTATON SAYS THAT GIRLS LIKE TO EAT SWEET THINGS WHEN THEY ARE UPSET." Sans snorted at the mention of the cyborg, giving a small shrug of his shoulders.

"Sure, bro. 's worth a shot," he drawled, a bit of a smile tugging at his face as his brother was already digging through their kitchen cabinets. Looks like all those extra snacks from when Frisk was over were going to be put to good use afterall. Pausing for just a moment with thought, Sans snatched the half-empty (or was it half-full?) bag of monster candy off of the kitchen table and shoved it into his jacket pocket, opening and holding the door for Papyrus, whose arms were full, nearly overburdened, with boxes of snacks. They found themselves at her door quickly enough, and, after receiving a small look from Papyrus, Sans reached out and rapped his bony knuckles against the door, waiting.

* * *

"Here, press this over your eyes, babe. They'll be here soon," Brit mumbled softly, pressing a cold, damp washcloth into the shivering woman's hand. Lena gave a watery smile up at her but, when she saw that it was not returned, it fell, and she nodded tearfully. There never was any point in trying to force herself around Brit, as she'd realized long ago. She gave a small, shaky sigh and pressed the cold cloth to her closed eyelids, shivering at how cold it felt. It was a similar routine, one that she'd played a part of several times; sometimes, she was on the other side, but, this time, it seemed like she was the one receiving.

A knock at the door startled her, and a hand on her shoulder calmed her before it pulled away, and the sound of the door opening met her overly-sensitive ears. Gods, her head hurt. Crying always made her head hurt. Brit was the same way, thus why she'd already been given plenty of water and tylenol. _'She's too good a friend...'_

"Hey guys, come on in," the taller woman greeted, her voice quieter than normal. She must have somehow told them to keep it down, because Papyrus even sounded softer when he spoke.

"Hello humans! We have brought snacks for you!" he said happily, and Lena could hear Brit's smile in her voice as she began to take the boxes and set them on the table.

"I can see that. Thanks, Paps." Sans reached into his pocket and pulled out the small bag, holding it out to the short-haired human, who raised a brow at it.

"'s monster candy. Give 'er one every hour an' she'll start feelin' better..." Why did he sound so tense? Brit snorted and pushed the bag back at him, pointing toward the couch where Lena sat curled into the armrest.

"Go give her one yourself. I'm gonna help Paps get all these sweets sorted out." The look in her eyes was not a questioning one, and he felt his fingers curl into the plastic bag more tightly as he moved toward the sofa. It pained him to see her like this, even if he couldn't see her face clearly because of the washcloth. Her soul was dim and dark, not at all like its usual sunny luster, and it throbbed with obvious pain. His own soul clenched in his chest, and he breathed out a sigh as he plopped himself down on the couch next to her, bouncing her enough that she startled slightly. When she pulled the cloth away, he ached in an odd way when he saw that her eyes were all red and swollen, much like Frisk's got after they'd done a lot of crying.

"Oh...h-hey," she said weakly, her face quickly morphing into a smile, though it looked off. Cracked around the edges. Tearing at the seams. His soul clenched even more tightly and he returned the smile. Of anything, forcing yourself to smile was something he could understand.

"Hey. Paps brought a ton 'a shit to snack on. 'n here, I brought ya this," he said, reaching into the bag and pulling out one of the small, round candies. When she made no move to grab, it, he set the bag on his lap and pulled her hand over, flipping it palm up and placing the candy in it. "It, uh, helps." Her smile faltered the smallest bit as she looked down at her hand curiously.

"Candy...? Oh, I um... I'm not really hungry-"

"Eat it," Brit suddenly piped up, voice flat, and Lena flinched slightly, frowning. Sans watched as their eyes met, a silent argument going on between them that they couldn't read, and Lena huffed a sigh as she popped the candy into her mouth. "Good girl." The human leaned across the back of the couch and wrapped her long arms around Lena's shoulders, hugging her tightly as she nuzzled her nose against her freckled cheek. Sans might have tensed when she pressed a kiss there, as well, but he refused to acknowledge it. "Now," the human said brightly, resting her chin against Lena's shoulder and pointing lazily toward the racks of disks next to the television. "Papyrus, how's about you grab 'Wreck It Ralph' and put it in for me, pretty please?"

"OF COURSE!" he agreed immediately, face suddenly taking on a bit of sheepishness. "I mean, of course!" He was intentionally trying to keep himself quiet...bless him. He immediately moved over to the racks and peered closely, squinting his eyesockets slightly as he tried to read the small print on the spines of the cases. When he found the one that had been requested, he plucked it out and held it triumphantly out toward the humans, who couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.

"Sweet. How's about you put that in, babe?" the tall human muttered, leaning in to nuzzle Lena's cheek again before releasing her hold on her and standing up. "C'mon, bonehead!" She reached a hand out and tugged on the fur lining of Sans' hood, jerking her thumb toward the door. "We're going to go get drinks from the convenience store."

"Huh? But you don't have to do that..." Lena protested slightly, her smile falling instantly, and Brit simply waved her off.

"Nah, you don't have anything decent to drink over here." She gave a laugh at the slightly offended expression on the other human's face, reaching out to pet her head affectionately. "And my back's killin' me today, so he's gonna help me carry stuff." Sans raised a brow bone at this, but the look she gave him made him feel as though it were less a choice and more of an order, so he shrugged and got to his feet. As he shuffled toward the door after her, she pulled on a sweat shirt obviously too large for her and turned back to the two left on the couch. "Paps, what do you want? I know what you want, Lena."

"May I perhaps..." Papyrus paused, looking slightly embarrassed. "...Chocolate milk?" Brit snickered and nodded, giving him a small thumbs up.

"Got it! You two go ahead and start the movie, we'll be back before you know it!" She closed the door behind them, leaving Papyrus and Lena on her couch glancing from the door to eachother in slight confusion.

"What do you suppose that was about...?" Lena asked, pulling her knees up to her chest. Papyrus simply shrugged and reached for the remote, pressing 'play' and starting the movie. They slipped into silence as the movie began and, curiously, the human glanced over at the skeleton sitting next to her. "Hey, um... Were your eyes glowing earlier..?" she asked hesitantly, surprised by the eagerness of his nod. "Why...?" Was that a rude question to ask? Probably. Before she could open her mouth to apologize for it, though, that same soft orange glow met her eyes, and Papyrus sent her a warm smile.

"It is something unique to skeleton monsters. I don't know why, but it is something we do to comfort eachother. When I was small, I can remember Sans doing it to help soothe me." Then, with a small pause, he pulled the human into his lap, moving one of the couch pillows to rest between her back and his chest, trying to make her comfortable. The small bit of light wasn't overly obvious, but, for some reason, she could feel herself being soothed by it. As bony arms wrapped around her, she leaned back into him, sniffling softly. "I do not know what is wrong, Lena, but we want to help..." He used her name, not 'human Lena' or 'human', but her name, and, for some reason, she began to cry, a smile spreading across her face.

"Thanks, Papyrus..."

* * *

Just on the other side of the door, Sans had his hands shoved into his pockets, eyelights focused on the human's face, only the slightest bit suspicious. "Welp, c'mon, no dragging your feet now." She headed down the stairs and toward the parking lot, and Sans followed after her, a safe distance between them. It was strange for her to suddenly demand that the both of them leave for a task that obviously only required one person. His mind was working overtime trying to figure out her motives, and when she walked right past her car and toward the sidewalk, his suspicion increased. His steps slowed, and, eventually, she took notice, turning to him with a frown. "What's up?"

"I'd like to ask you the same." She rolled her eyes at him and sighed, tapping her foot impatiently. "Why'd you need me to come with ya? We both know you can handle a grocery bag by yourself." A flash of irritation crossed over her face, then she sighed again, more heavily.

"I wanted to talk to you. Alone," she added, intercepting his question before he could even ask it. "Look, I wanted to tell you what happened today, and...some other stuff. This isn't easy for me, either, okay? Just...c'mon, we can't go back without the drinks now." Sans felt uncertainty still, but the look of desperation in her eyes broke him, and he shrugged his shoulders, shoes scuffing against the ground as he walked to catch up with her. Her legs were so much longer than his, he had slight difficulty keeping up with his lazy pace. She seemed to notice this, though, and slowed her strides a bit. They began the walk toward the convenience store in silence until, eventually, Sans couldn't bear it anymore. His curiosity was eating away at him.

"So? What happened? All I heard from Paps was that she came home an' was upset." The human sighed, pulling her hands inside the overly large sleeves of her sweatshirt to shield them from the cold. When had it gotten so chilly? It wasn't this cold earlier, was it?

"She got fired." The bluntness of the statement made Sans misstep slightly, eyesockets widening as he whirled his skull to look up at the human. Her brows were knit tightly and her jaw was set, green eyes burning with anger. "Apparently a couple of her co-workers saw the two of you on your walk from Grillby's, and they made a big stink over ...over her being friends with monsters." The jolt of guilt through his soul was agonizing, and it must have been obvious, because Brit stopped suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him. "Don't go thinking you can 'spare her' by not being her friend anymore, either! This isn't your fault or hers. Stupid racist sons of bitches..." Her fingers dug painfully hard into her forearms and she hissed a sigh, turning and continuing her walk, though much more quickly. "She was so close to getting her teaching degree, did you know that? That was her _dream_ , and those motherfuckers took it away from her all because of- of what?! Who cares if she's close to monsters?!" A few monsters who were out milling around overheard her outbursts and turned to stare, but she took no notice to them. Sans struggled to keep up with her again, huffing slightly as he had to jog to keep up.

"She...she didn't even put up a fight," the human suddenly said, voice watery and, when Sans finally caught up, there were fat tears dripping from her chin, teeth digging into her bottom lip so roughly that he was almost certain she'd bite through it. "That's just how she is, though, y'know? Minimizing's lead to her just...just letting people fucking do whatever they want, and she can't say a goddamn thing."

"Minimizing?" He was so confused. What was she talking about? The human was starting to hiccup as she spoke, making less and less sense, her words getting jumbled together. He hadn't been trying to look at it before, but the waves of her soul's aura were getting more and more chaotic. "Hey, hey, calm-"

"And that's just how it goes! That's how you end up thinking you don't deserve to _feel_ and that you're better off not feeling anything, because everyone just fucking says you're _wrong_!" He jerked a hand out of his pocket and grabbed the human's arm, spinning her around to look at him.

"Hey!" She stared at him, eyes widened, chest heaving with little breathy sobs, her eyes starting to look just as red as Lena's had been. "You're not making any sense," he said carefully, each word measured and said with enough volume for her to listen, but not too much for him to be 'yelling' at her. She slowly calmed down, looking ashamed as she raised her sleeve-covered hands to wipe at her face.

"S-sorry...sorry..." She spent a few moments like that, muttering apologies and wiping her tears, trying to regain control over her breathing. Sans slowly retracted his hand, browbones furrowed in concern and, when she looked up at him and noticed it, she gave a watery laugh. "You remind me of my husband when you make faces like that." The smile she gave him was grateful, warm, and sincere, and he felt his cheekbones flush. Was that a compliment? It certainly sounded like one. "Ahhh, crap, and I'd been doing so good today, too, not crying..."

"Bein' strong for someone else tends to end up like that," he said simply, mouth quirking up into a small smile when she snorted. "You gonna try all that again?" She nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"It's hard for me to talk about things without getting emotional. I'm probably, like, the most emotionally unstable human ever. Don't judge others based off of my shortcomings!" she said, though her tone was joking.

"I'd never." She reached out to punch his shoulder and he dodged easily, watching with a bit of a smirk as she lost her balance and stumbled across the sidewalk. "Got ya fallin' for me?" he teased, raising a browbone as she laughed, giving him a knowing glance.

"Not _me_ , but I know _someone..._ " His cheekbones glowed blue and he shoved at her gently, grumbling as she laughed at his embarrassment.

"It's because of that, honestly...that I'm wantin' to talk to you, I mean. Gotta make sure my girlfriend's goin' into capable hands." His skull spun at that, eyesockets widened incredulously. She raised a brow at him, smirking. "What?"

"Is she really your...uh..." She snorted loudly and covered her mouth as she practically doubled over laughing, and he only realized too late that he'd been got. His blush burned ever brighter and he shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets. "Shut up."

"Ohhh my god, your face! You've got it bad for her, huh?"

"Weren't you gonna talk to me about something other than this?"

"Changing the subject, are we, bone-boy?"

"I'll make you carry the drinks home by yourself."

"You'd leave me high and _dry_ like that?" He couldn't help it, he snorted a laugh, and she looked positively victorious. "Hey, we're here already." He glanced up and saw the lit sign of the convenience store/gas station, and he was only partly surprised by how fast the time seemed to pass. It took them a second longer to enter the store because she'd spent longer than necessary trying to push on the door obviously marked 'pull', and oh, he wasn't going to let her live that down. Though, from the way she grumbled and cursed at him, it obviously wasn't the first time. He smirked.

He stood by the door, hands in his pockets as she grabbed two bottles of each kind of drink: chocolate milk, cream soda, Dr. Pepper, and...wow. It only took him slightly by surprise when she stuck two bottles of ketchup on the counter along with the rest of their things, and she sent him a small wink. She fumbled with her wallet and he took the opportunity to quickly pull out his own, sliding the money across the counter toward the cashier.

"Hey, no, fuck you! I'm paying!" she shouted, trying to reach the cash, but a faint blue glow surrounded it, and it flew into the cashier's hand. "Dammit!" She pouted, shoving her wallet back into her pocket as he did the same, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Th-thanks, come again!" the skiddish-looking cat monster said, and Sans gave a small wave over his shoulder.

"Later, Burgerpants." The door closed behind them ("Hey, good job! You got it right on the first try!" "Fuck you, Sans!") and they began their walk back to the apartment, though this time the human's strides were short and slow, for more reason than to make sure Sans kept up. "You don't gotta tell me if it's that hard for ya," he said, and she shook her head.

"No, it's important. Stuff you need to know about Lena..." This piqued his interest, though he tried not to make it visually obvious. He cracked an eyesocket open and glanced at the human from the corner of his eye, watching as her expression became determined.

"So? Where do ya wanna start?" She paused, giving a small, sad smile as her hand gripped the handles of the plastic bag more tightly.

"I guess I should start back when Lena and I first met..."


	22. Chapter 22

**This chapter has mentions of an eating disorder, self-harm, abuse, therapy, depression, and anxiety. It is a heavier chapter that delves into the reasons why Lena is the way she is. Brit is very much present in this chapter, but it's for the sole purpose of telling the untold side of the story. I hope you all enjoy it, regardless, and the character development that is sure to follow. I love you all. 3**

* * *

"When ya first met?" Sans glanced over at the human, raising a browbone in curiosity. They'd found a bench about half-way between the convenience store and the apartment and had chosen to sit long enough to talk. She nodded, raising a hand to her mouth to bite at the skin around her fingernails. "...Y' sure you're okay to tell me?" Rolling her eyes, she pulled her hand away and spat on the ground away from them, lips pulling into a frown.

"I want you to know, but talking is...difficult." He let out a sigh, the breath hissing past his teeth, and she tensed. "Sorry, I...dammit. I wish there was a way that I could just, like...tell you without having to actually _tell_ you. I get too emotional talking..." She thrust a hand through her hair, tugging on it and mussing it even further. Feeling her distress, Sans shrugged his shoulders, glancing over at her.

"I mean, if ya can't say it, then maybe you can just show it..." She looked at him like he was crazy and he chuckled, tapping a finger against his chest. "Yer soul. If I focus my magic on it, and if you focus on what you're wantin' me to see, then I can see it...I think. Been a while since I've done it."

"My soul...? Yeah, sure, if you think it'll work. Worth a shot, I guess," she mumbled, pulling her feet up to rest on the bench in front of her, knees pressed against her chest. "Go for it, bone-boy." It amazed him just how trusting these humans were. They really had no idea that one wrong touch to their soul could kill them or, if they did, then they were stupid. _'This chick's got no reason to trust me doin' this...'_ She huffed a sigh and furrowed her brows at him, growing impatient, and he turned to face her.

"Y' gotta clear yer head-"

"Waaay ahead of you, it's plenty cleared out." He snorted and shook his head, holding his hand palm-out toward her.

"I'm serious. Clear your head and think about what yer wantin' to show me. It won't work otherwise." The human nodded and closed her eyes, and he was struck yet again by just how trusting she was being. "Ready?" he asked, and she was silent for a moment, before giving a slow nod of her head. "Alright... This might feel a bit weird." That warning was the last thing said as he allowed his eyesockets to fall closed, concentrating his magic into the palm of his hand. A blue fog of magic spread from his fingertips, reaching out, seeking, before finally phasing through the human's chest, reaching for her soul. When it finally connected, they both flinched, and Sans felt his mind fade into blackness as he was pulled in, deeper, deeper...

* * *

It was a shitty day. No bones about it, the stress of life had gotten to her, and she was coping poorly. She knew that, knew that she should be more mindful, but something about the rain pelting the windows and the thunder rolling in the distance just made her want to curl under a blanket and never come out. A black haze filled her chest and her head, making everything seem darker than it really was. Depression. Hopelessness. _'It's just a bad day...'_ she told herself, over and over and over, not stopping even as people began to file into the small meeting room. A long table was set up in the center, with chairs surrounding it. She sat in one of the far corners, piece of paper spread out on the table in front of her, pencil clenched tightly in her hand. The strokes of graphite against paper were rough, hard, frenzied as she began to fall into her emotion mind. _'Calm down, just breathe. In, out... In, out...'_

No matter how many times she went, she could never fully adjust to group therapy. The faces changed frequently, and she didn't much care for change. Every Friday, every week, for months, and for what? Nothing had changed, not inside herself, where it counted. She pulled up a smile easily and greeted people as they came in, faltering slightly when she saw a new face.

The first thing her eyes went to was the chest, ample breasts, jealousy, she told herself it didn't matter. It really does, though. The newcomer was a curvy girl, chubby, adorable, she thought. A ginger. _'Insert a joke about her not having a soul here,'_ she mused, eyes roaming over her figure, taking in her details, her traits, her face. The new girl's eyes were green, much like her own, and she had auburn hair, a beautiful mix of red and copper that made it shine under the fluorescent lights. She took note of the smile on the girl's face, and it looked okay. Not natural, she thought to herself, watching as the other girl's hands clenched and relaxed into the fabric of her sweater. _'Must not be too confident about her body.'_ Her clothing was baggy and loose, and it covered as much skin as possible. Long pants and sleeves. Brit wondered if it was because she had things to hide. Her own eyes glanced down to her forearms, a wry smile tugging at her lips, and she tore her eyes away as the session began.

"My name's Leannán O'Brennike. I-I'm a college student, just about to start my second year. My dream is to be a teacher!" Her voice was soft, a slight tremor in the beginning, but as she began to talk about something she was passionate about, her words came easier. Brit couldn't help but love just how beautiful she sounded when she talked about something she loved. She realized she was staring, and quickly glanced back down at her paper. The pencil had trailed off long ago, leaving a faint mark across the page and the surface of the table. Shit.

The new girl sat down in the only available seat, which, of course, was next to Brit. They exchanged a short smile as they scooted away from one another and the lead therapist began talking. The lesson wasn't remarkable, but she paid attention regardless. Her pencil continued its work in her sketching, multitasking helping her brain to focus more. As everyone in the room gave their "seven day check-in", as they called it, Brit noticed how little Lena actually talked. When it came to be her turn, the redhead glanced down at the table nervously.

"Oh, um... It was alright."

"Try being more expressive. Did you feel any emotions this last week? What prompted them? What did you feel about them?" The therapist's words were kind, but Lena seemed to feel even more uncomfortable.

"Um... W-well, I got to watch a movie this last weekend, and I liked it. And... I'm...sorry," she paused suddenly, fingers tapping against her thighs as she gave a tense smile to the table. "I can't really think of anything..."

Anxiety, Brit wondered, watching the body language that she'd come to know so well. Lena pulled one of her pigtails over her shoulder and began combing her fingers through it slowly, methodically. Anxiety confirmed.

"Well, that's good! Positive emotions are good...but we also like to talk about so-called "negative" emotions, too. They're only natural, and we all experience them," the therapist said calmly, their eyes also watching the redhead closely, as Brit was doing.

"Sorry, I just...don't really know how to express them, I guess..." she mumbled, voice soft, and Brit felt a small ache in her chest as she realized something all too obvious. _'Looks like she wasn't ever allowed to express herself without being minimized either.'_

Break came and everyone got up and left the room, most of the group being smokers who spent the fifteen minutes outside. Even in the rain, a nicotine addict needed their fix. Brit snorted as a couple of them bitched loudly about the rain on their way out. The only people left in the room was her and the new girl. Socialization wasn't something she was feeling up for, so she kept quiet, staring down at her paper as she continued to doodle. _'Looks like shit,'_ she thought bitterly, shoving the paper aside and grabbing a clean white page from the stack next to her, beginning again.

"Wow, you're a really great artist!" The voice was so sudden that it startled her slightly, and Brit glanced over to see that Lena had grabbed the page and was looking over it, eyes wide with admiration.

"Nah, it's actually kinda shitty. You should see my bro's stuff, he's great!" A smile and a laugh, but Lena frowned at her softly, thick auburn brows furrowing.

"Well, I think this is really good," she said, her green eyes returning to glance over the drawing. A tree with a hollow trunk, a hole just big enough to see through, with a child reading inside. It had been a mindfulness exercise gone wrong, in Brit's mind, and she intended to trash it as soon as she had to get up. But moving more than necessary wasn't her game. "Can...can I keep it?" the redhead asked shyly, holding the paper close to her chest. Uncomfortable. Brit shrugged and muttered a quiet 'I guess', and the smile that spread across the freckled girl's face was genuine and bright. "Thank you!"

"No prob..." _'Weirdo. Why's she so nice? What's she after?'_ The group returned and the session went as normal. Just before the therapist dismissed them, they stood at the head of the table and smiled brightly.

"We're going to be doing a bit of a project. I've gone ahead and paired you all up, and you're going to exchange phone numbers before we leave. I want to encourage you all to send each other affirmations throughout the day. Help each other out by becoming aware of positives in your daily lives. Share as much or as little as you feel comfortable." A few glances shared between everyone at the table, and then the slow murmur of conversation as people began to do what they'd been asked. Brit quickly scribbled down her number and slid it across to Lena before gathering her things and standing.

"Sorry, I gotta head out now. Babysitter can't stay with my kids forever!" She flashed a smile and headed out to her beat up minivan, throwing her belongings into the passenger seat and climbing in afterward.

"Wait!" A voice stopped her, and she paused just as she was about to close her driver's side door. Lena was jogging after her, and Brit forced herself to keep her eyes above the other girl's neck. "I-I um, I don't know what you want to be called..." she said shyly, holding her phone out. _'Been hoping I could avoid this awkward encounter...'_ Trading cell phone numbers was always awkward, made her uncomfortable. Forcing herself into pleasant conversation with someone she only just met was something she could do easily, but the joy was forced.

"Sure, no prob." Taking the phone carefully, she went ahead and typed in 'Brit' for the contact name, taking the liberty to send herself a text from Lena's phone. The faint chime of her own phone vibrated from her back pocket, and she handed the phone back. "I gotta get going. I'll text you tomorrow," she said, ignoring how brisk she probably sounded and waited until the other girl moved aside so she could close her door.

The drive home was longer than necessary, because she spent some time aimlessly driving, her mind busy, full, too full, anxious. Why did she have to get paired with the new person? Why not someone else? She was already dreading having to text her, and it wasn't even happening yet. _'This week's gonna suck...'_

* * *

 _You're doing a great job today!  
Good job getting out of bed!  
Good job eating something!  
Good job drinking water instead of soda!_

That was how the week went. The text messages were all very impersonal, all very detached, all very typical. Wednesday. A bad day. Brit found herself in a pitfall of emotion, negative thoughts, urges, actions, regrets, more actions, deeper regrets.

| **Lena** : Are you okay? You haven't been texting much today... |

Who cares? Why did she care? She's just doing it because she has to. Not important. No one cares. No one cares. No one-

| **Lena** : I know you don't know me very well, but if you ever need someone to talk to then I will. |

| **Lena** : Us girls gotta stick together, right? |

She broke down. Tears, a frenzy of fingertips against the glass screen of her phone, negative emotions pouring from her words and into the text. She hadn't meant to, or maybe she had, but she'd vented to this stranger who spoke so kindly. She expected the worst. _'She'll tell me not to text her again. She regrets asking me. She's gonna avoid me at group now. I fucked up. She hates me. I hate me-'_

| **Lena** : You're doing your best and that's enough. |

| **Lena** : You're you and you're enough, and you're important. |

| **Lena** : People love you so much and care about you. I care about you. |

| **Lena** : Is that weird..? I know we only just met, but I care a lot about you. |

Is this girl stupid? What is she thinking? Why would she care about someone like me?

| **Lena** : That's just how I am. |

An urge, powerful. Protect. Protect the person who's stupid enough to care about people she doesn't know. Protect her from being hurt. Pure heart doesn't deserve to feel the pain of betrayal. Protect it. Protect her. Protect, protect, protect-

| **Brit** : Wow that was so gay. |

A watery smile through her tears as she reads the flustered text message she got in response. This was the beginning of something good, she just knew it. And, for once, she allowed herself to believe it.

* * *

They were friends, had been since the first moment, Lena said. Brit wasn't so sure, but arguing wasn't really worth it. It was a nice thought, at any rate.

Friday comes and goes, with no sign of Lena. Worried, she texts the redhead, asking where she was. No response. For hours, she waits, checking her phone constantly, wondering, worrying, waiting. Eventually, a message. Her phone buzzes loudly in her pocket and she's quick to pull it out, checking it immediately.

| **Lena** : Sorry I didn't show up at group today. Really tired today. |

Tired. Code. Something was up. Brit glanced at her children, sitting at the table eating (playing with) spaghetti and dove into conversation.

| **Brit** : What's up? Party too hardy last night? |  
| **Lena** : Heheh no. Just tired I guess. |

| **Brit** : Is it tired or is that what word you feel okay using for it? |

No response for a while. Hit the nail on the head, she knew it.

| **Lena** : I got into an argument with my parents today... |

| **Lena** : They were talking about monsters in a mean way and I tried to stand up for them. |

| **Lena** : They didn't like that... |

| **Brit** : I know I've said it before but fuck your parents. |

| **Brit** : Wanna go out tonight? Jordan's home so he'll watch the kids. |

| **Lena** : I really need to get this paper done... |

| **Brit** : You're almost done with it. We're going out. |

| **Brit** : Meet up here and I'll drive us. |

Drinking was going to be a thing that happened. Not that she had an addiction, but she loved the feeling of being loose and free, that only alcohol could seem to give. She was going to get to the bottom of this whether Lena liked it or not. _'I'm a terrible person.'_

* * *

The restaurant wasn't fancy, just a typical mexican restaurant. Huge bowl of queso in the middle of the table, fajita meat sizzling loudly from the hotplate next to it. Not much had been eaten because she'd been far too busy drinking. How many margaritas had they had? She couldn't remember. The pitcher she ordered was empty, and they both had a couple more...who gives a shit?

"We were out at the store, and there was this...this monster. He looked like a wolf, and there was this cold..aura? Coming off of his fur. It was really cool. My parents were talking down to him, even though he's way taller than them! And they just...when he started getting angry at the things they were saying, they yelled at him to go back where he came from. I'm like, seriously?!" The redhead was sitting across from her, a frown pulling down at her lips, freckles lost in a flush of red across her cheeks. "I told them to stop, and they...th-they yelled at me. Told me to shut up, a-and my mom slapped me, right in front of everyone. Said they didn't raise me to be a monster-loving heathen..."

"You oughta just tell them to fuck off."

"I can't!" she wailed, stabbing at a few strips of chicken and peppers from the hot plate and jamming it into her mouth. After she'd chewed and swallowed, she continued, raising a hand to rub at her eyes, which were already watering. "I... Anytime I start getting upset by anything, they tell me I'm being unreasonable. They'll ask me if I'm on my period, or if I've been drinking or doing drugs. I've never done drugs except for this _one time_ I smoked pot." Brit's eyes narrowed dangerously, anger bubbling in her belly and swirling with the alcohol.

"Minimizing what you feel. What pieces of shit. I hate them."

"No, no, they... They're good people...sometimes. And they're paying for my schooling, because my dad's a professor. A-and they let me stay at home..." She sighed and raised a hand to rub at her cheek which, Brit could notice now, had a faint bruise on it. Her anger flourished.

"Fuck them! Move in with me!" Green eyes widened across from her, and she simply pushed on, determined. "Yeah, forget all their bullshit and move in with us. We'll treat you better than they ever did. Them and their favoritism-loving asses can burn!" She was getting loud, she knew, but that's what happened when she drank. How were they going to get home again?

"I-I can't. You have enough on your plate, and two kids..."

"Fuck that, you're moving in. I want to help you. Let me help you."

"B-but I can't! I...I-I can't..." She started crying, shoulders trembling with little hiccuping sobs, and Brit reached across the table and grabbed her hand, squeezing it fiercely.

"Please... I love you so fucking much, just let me help. After all the shit you've done for me, it's the least I can do." There was hesitation, palpable, tangible in the air between them, and when watery green eyes finally looked up to meet hers, it was done.

She nodded, and Brit released a sigh of relief.

* * *

Angry phone calls from parents who didn't deserve the title. Lena spent most of that time away from her phone, curling up on the couch with a movie. A drunken mistake? Nah, no way. Helping someone you love is just the way she was raised. After a few weeks living together, Brit began to notice things. Like how she'd skip out of snack time with her and the kids, or she'd take less of a portion at dinner. Skipping breakfast because she was 'in a hurry', though she didn't join them even on the weekends when Brit made breakfast. Concern. Worry. She brought it up and Lena's expression became taut, the smile false.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just on a diet."

Days pass, less food, less sleep. A hot day playing outside with the kids. Brit chased her children around with the hose, spraying them down, when she heard the door open on the deck. She turned and froze as she saw the pale figure standing in the doorway. Skin white as a sheet, freckles standing out as strongly as stars in the sky, reversed. She clung to the door frame, hands trembling, legs weak, just seconds before she collapsed. Panic. Blind, unfiltered panic. Brit pulled out her phone and called her neighbor, asking them to come over so she could take her friend to the hospital.

A long, silent drive. Hot tears dripping down her cheeks. Cursing, yelling at an unconscious body. "Why didn't you tell me?! Why?! Why did you do this to yourself?!" Sobbing. Swerving between cars, rushing. Their arrival at the hospital was all a blur. A stretcher was brought out, her friend loaded up on it and taken away. Questions. So many questions, none of which she knew the answer to. Telling them what little she knew.

The diagnosis. Malnutrition. Self-imposed. Suggested therapy treatments, medications. They wanted to call her parents. Brit screamed and told them no. She was there, she was all she needed right then. Her parents could learn later. Later. At her bedside, she collapsed into a chair and held her unconscious friend's hand, mindful of the IV pumping valuable nutrients into her blood, providing for her what she denied herself. Turning her hand over, she caught sight of a red mark. Her mind went blank, anxiety gripping her. She gripped the bedrail, crying into her hand. A nurse came to ask if she was okay, she said she was.

Because that's just how they were.

* * *

Home at last, Lena spent most of her time in her room. Brit yelled at her a lot when she didn't want to eat, made her cry. As soon as she left her friend's room, she'd cry, too. Pain was shared when you loved someone enough. After a while, she got her to talk.

She'd gone back to visit her family at their home, and one of her sisters told her she looked like she'd been gaining weight. Brit wanted to punch the teeth in of every single family member. Lena admitted to holding herself back, not using her skills therapy had taught the both of them. "I'll help you," Brit demanded, and Lena hadn't the heart to tell her that she couldn't. Brit knew that. She said the same thing all the time.

* * *

Recovery. For both of them. They laughed and played together with the children. Lena got a job she loved, and her contact with her family was minimal. Bad days came and went, but that was life. They dealt with them together.

* * *

A flurry of moments, too jumbled to discern from the other. Most of them happy, some sad, all vivid and bright. Teasing text messages, talk of 'boning' someone they knew, a laugh. Plans to buy skull-themed underwear for her friend. All in good laughs.

* * *

| **Lena** : Level 10. |

A lurch in her chest, and she was moving, mind racing with only one goal in mind: protect her. The arrival at her apartment, panic when she saw the door was hanging open, assuming the worst. A soft orange light from her bedroom, finding her being comforted. Relief. Immense relief. Lena lunged at her and she caught her, holding her tightly and shushing her softly, trying to soothe her. Her barking an order at the lanky skeleton, sending him away, waiting for the door to close. They both were. Wails and cries painful to even hear, heart-wrenching. _'Can't cry now,'_ she told herself, ' _She needs me now.'_

She was angry when she was told what had happened, but pushed it aside, shoved it down, focusing solely on Lena. Soothing her. Undressed them and got in the shower, water running hot, soothing aching muscles. Her friend wept as she washed her hair and held her close. Maybe strange for other people, but for them, it was natural. They were sisters without blood. Sisters by bond. By love. Gentle reminders, soft voices, soothing words. Brit ran her fingers through auburn hair and across her scalp to calm her. The crying lessened after however long. Minutes? Hours? Days? It felt like eternity listening to her in such agony.

A text to Papyrus, telling them to come. Nervousness. Gotta get Sans alone. How? How? How?

' _I want him to know. I want him to know how to protect her. Take care of her. Love her.'_

* * *

The two of them pulled apart with a gasp, the human from the strange feeling of having her soul invaded, Sans from the intensity of what he'd just seen. It was imperfect, little snippets of memories and thoughts flashing behind his eyes, but it was there. He'd seen it all. His soul ached in his chest and he breathed a shuddering sigh. "Shit..." The human was crying again, a hand covering her mouth to try and silence the sounds, though there was very little. It was no wonder she had such a difficulty telling him. How could you explain something that was so painful? He could feel it, the fresh, hot waves of pain that even thinking about those things surfaced in her soul. She rubbed the tears from her eyes and gave him a weak smile and a laugh, and he smiled sadly.

At least now he understood.

The walk back to the apartment was silent, because what else was there to say after that? Once they got in the front door Brit froze, giggling quietly and holding a finger to her lips while her other hand pointed at the couch. Lena was curled into the pillow against the skeleton's chest, asleep. Sans only felt a small spike of jealousy, pushing it aside when Papyrus turned his skull to look at them. His expression told them loud and clear that they took far too long, but he didn't speak, not wanting to disturb the human asleep in his arms. Brit leaned over the back of the couch and brushed a lock of hair behind the girl's ear gingerly, the look on her face pure adoration and love. Then she stood, stretching her arms over her head and giving a small grunt.

"I'm gonna take her bed until she wakes up. You boys are free to stay here." Trust, Sans knew, was within that statement, and he felt more flattered by it than he probably should have. Mutterings of 'goodnight', and the closing of a door, and Sans sighed. His brother gave him a questioning look, but he waved it off. It was probably best to keep this to himself for now, until the situation called for it. He reached into the plastic bag and held out one of the bottles of chocolate milk, chuckling at the larger skeleton's gleeful expression as he twisted the plastic cap off and drank it. He put the entire bag into the fridge and sat next to Lena, reaching out and taking her hand in his own. She stirred slightly, just a little, before she laid still again, and his soul thrummed in adoration.

Anger toward those who hurt her could come later. There would be plenty of time for that. For now, his place was there, holding her hand as she stumbled through the bullshit that life threw her way. Supporting her silently, until she asked for anything more. His hand tightened around hers subconsciously and he closed his eyes, feeling the ripples of her soul's aura caressing him in the short distance between.


	23. Chapter 23

The first thing that came to Lena's attention was the pounding ache in the front of her head, centered just behind her eyes. She released a soft groan as she raised her hands to her head...or, she would have. Only one of her hands would move. Cracking her eyes open the slightest bit, she glanced down at her immobile hand to figure out why it wasn't functioning. Her eyes flew open completely, green hues widening as a pale red flush spread across her freckled cheeks. Bony fingers were threaded through her own, holding on tightly, as though it were the only thing keeping them attached to reality. It was then that other things began to come to her attention...

Sans was curled into her side, skull resting on her chest, his other arm not occupied with holding her hand wrapped snugly around her waist. _'Ohh my god, I must still be asleep...Yeah, that's it.'_ She turned her head slightly to glance behind her, finding a stack of pillows where Papyrus had been sitting. Where had he gone? Since when did Sans get back? Why was he sleeping on her couch? ...Why was he sleeping with _her_ on her couch? And so closely, too... She shook her head slightly, pushing the questions away and instead deciding to figure out where everyone else had wandered off to. She turned her head to glance around the room and felt her blush increase tenfold when she saw her friends sitting at her kitchen table. Papyrus was giving her a pleasant smile, digging in happily to his healthy cornflakes while Brit sat and stirred her sugary cereal, giving her ' _The Look_ '.

"Put the eyebrows down, right now."

"Can't. They're up and they're dancin' because _wow_ , I'm seeing my OTP being played out IRL-"

"Brit!" the flustered woman whispered harshly, trying to keep quiet enough not to disturb the sleepy skeleton clinging to her waist. As embarrassing as it was, she really didn't want him to let go...yet.

"WHAT IS AN 'OTP'?"

"Ohhh my god-"

"Papyrus, _please_ , don't encourage her!" Her friend cackled mischievously and Papyrus, the poor thing, simply glanced between the two of them, utterly confused. Lena was about to continue scolding her friend when she felt stirring on the couch next to her. She turned to look at Sans just as his eyesockets opened, and...boy, was his face always that close? Her ears burned as she leaned her head back a bit, trying to ignore the faint flush of blue across his cheekbones and failing miserably. "S-sorry if we woke you..." she muttered softly, her hand giving his a small squeeze just seconds before he slid away from her completely, expression flat.

"No prob. Mornin' Pap. What's for breakfast?" He stood and got up as if nothing at all had happened, and Lena only felt a slight bit of disappointment.

"CEREAL, BECAUSE HUMAN BRIT SAID THAT EARLY MORNINGS ARE FOR SQUARES. SHE IS FAR TOO MUCH LIKE YOU, BROTHER! PLEASE DO NOT RUIN THE HUMAN LENA IN THIS WAY AS WELL!" Brit gave a heavy snort and shrugged her shoulders, and Lena saw her try to give Sans ' _The Look_ ' as well, but he sidestepped it easily, sliding into the chair next to Papyrus and reaching for the box of corn flakes. He reached a bony hand into the bag and pulled out a handful, ignoring his brother's complaints as he shoved them into his mouth.

"Your mouth opens? How come it doesn't when you talk?" Sans raised a browbone at the confused human, wiggling his fingers and giving a shit-eating grin.

"Maaaagic!"

"That's such a bullshit answer. How do you even? Do you have a tongue? You can't swallow food without one. How do you eat? God, it's gonna kill me if I don't find out now!" She raised her hands to grip at her head, whining and writhing in her chair, slowly sliding down until only her head was visible over the edge of the table.

"SANS! WE DO NOT WANT TO KILL THE HUMAN!" Lena rolled her eyes and got up to join her friends at the table, leaning over to flick the human on the forehead. She ignored her friend's cry and slid into the chair across from Sans, grabbing one of the bowls set in the center of the table and pouring herself some breakfast. (Corn flakes and Lucky Charms, the breakfast of champions.)

"Nah, not usually. Don't need none of that. Magic. Literally, it's the only answer," the shorter skeleton drawled lazily, giving a short snort of amusement as Brit struggled to climb back into her chair from where she'd fallen to the floor.

"You say 'not usually'. Does that mean that you _can_ have one? How?" Papyrus rolled his eyes and dug into his cereal, pointedly ignoring his brother who chuckled. His left eye gave a small flash of blue, and he opened his jaw wide. A blue tongue was suddenly where the empty blackness was before, and she tried not to, really, she did, but Lena sucked in a breath, her face hot. Brit whistled, eyebrows raised.

"Duuuude... That's pretty hot."

"Brit!" Lena cried, reaching over to slap her friend on the shoulder, who laughed and raised her hands to protect herself.

"What? Still not as good as Jordan's. You wanna talk about a Gene Simmons motherfucker, that's him, right there-"

"Oh my god, please, do not..." The auburn haired woman raised her hands to cover her face, fully and completely mortified. Sans glanced between the two women curiously, eyes lingering on Lena for a moment, scientific mind at work furiously trying to discern her reaction. "Anyway... Thank you guys, for coming over yesterday..."

"Hey, don't even worry about it, babe. It's what friends are for, right, Paps?" The taller skeleton nodded eagerly, skull a blur of motion in his enthusiasm.

"YES, THAT IS RIGHT! AND THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALSO THE GREATEST OF FRIENDS!" Bless him, Lena couldn't help but smile fondly up at him. Clearing a throat he didn't have, Sans set the box of corn flakes back on the table and gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"Yeah, 's no big." She nodded, looking down at her bowl as she struggled to find words. Brit could sense this, though, as she could with many things, and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"Anyway, about tonight..." she trailed off, lips curving up into a devious smile. "We're goin' out. There's this place that just opened up on the outskirts of Tristin, about five minutes down from the old ice cream place, that serves some _wicked_ drinks. And you boys," she pointed to Papyrus and Sans, her grin widening, "are coming with us!"

"Huh? Since when?" Sans piped up, raising a browbone, and Brit clicked her tongue at him, shaking her index finger.

"It's non-negotiable, obviously. Unless you want me and Lena to go out drinking all by ourselves... Hell, maybe we can pick up some guys while we're out." She didn't miss the subtle clench of his jaw, and her eyes narrowed. "Yeah! I mean, I'm married, but it's been a while since I've taken her out to try and get her a date..."

"Y'know, I think we will go."

"BUT SANS, YOU WERE JUST SOUNDING LIKE YOU DID NOT WANT TO GO. WHY THE SUDDEN CHANGE IN-"

"I was just foolin'. Wanted to go the whole time." His eyesockets narrowed at the scheming human, his grin pulled taut as she gave him a positively victorious smirk. Damn her.

"Great! So, you boys go and pick out your best clothes! We're gonna go out in style!" Lena did not like the sound of this, and her eyes flickered between her friend and Sans uncomfortably, sensing something going on between them, but not sure of what it was. "Meanwhiiiiiile..." An arm was suddenly around her torso, a hand not-so-subtly brushing the underside of her breast. "I'm gonna get this cutie ready. Meet back here in eighteen-hundred hours!"

"WHAT? WHY SO LONG FROM NOW? IT WOULD BE FAR MORE CONVENIENT TO SAY IT IN DAYS, HUMAN."

"...God you're precious."

* * *

It was only when they were practically shoved out of the human's apartment door and his brother ran off to decide what to wear that Sans finally felt the gravity of the situation. He'd woken up, practically wrapped around the human's waist. A flush of blue covered his skull and he let his skull fall into his hands, groaning. _'What the fuck is_ _ **wrong**_ _with me?'_ He'd seen the look Brit had been giving them and- oh stars, _Papyrus_ had seen! His embarrassment was surely going to kill him, he decided. With his 1 HP, this was how he was going to die.

' _She didn't move away, though...'_ he thought, feeling his soul give a little flutter where it resided within his chest. Maybe she'd just been too polite. Yeah. That sounded like something Lena would do. He shook the thoughts off and headed toward his own apartment, intent on taking a nap before they left (even though he only just woke up).

It took him a while to realize that he'd had his first night of uninterrupted sleep in stars knows how long.

He refused to think about it.

* * *

"I am _not_ wearing that..." Brit groaned and threw her hands up into the air at her beloved friend's uncooperative attitude, tossing the shirt she'd been holding onto the bed.

"And why not? Flaunt it if you got it!" The redhead's cheeks flushed a deep red when she saw the other woman holding up the pair of jeans Undyne had picked out for her, eyebrows raising comically when she noticed the skeletal hands on the back pockets. The question hung in the air, obvious before she could even open her mouth, and Lena shook her head firmly.

"Out of the question." Her friend rolled her eyes and sighed, turning back to dig through the closet.

"Look, babe, as much as I'd love to see you without clothes," she drawled, smirking at the flustered expression on the others' face, "I'm pretty sure we'll get kicked out for showin' up nude. ...Bet Sans wouldn't mind it eith-"

"OKAY! I'm gonna go take a shower. Pick something not indecent!" Lena pointed a finger at her friend, frowning with an expression that was intended to be stern, but came across more embarrassed than anything. You'd think after so long she'd be used to it. She pushed herself up from her seat on the edge of her bed and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and over her head quickly before tossing it to the floor carelessly. Her pants followed, and as she bent down to push the fabric down her legs, she caught sight of Brit's eyes on her, eyebrows wiggling madly. She rolled her eyes and threw her pants at the other woman, giggling as she flailed and pretended to be struck, leaning heavily against the wall. "Dork." Her bra and panties followed suit shortly, falling to the floor as she quickly made her way toward her bathroom. The door was left open (why bother, when Brit would just come in anyway?) and she quickly turned on the water, hopping in.

Left alone and finally without a presence to tell her 'no', Brit dug through the other woman's closet and drawers for the perfect outfit. Not that she was usually one to dress up herself, but she was a woman on a mission, and that mission was to set her friend up. And god dammit, she was going to accomplish her goal, even if it killed her!

A mischievous, borderline devious expression passed over her face and she giggled to herself, eyes narrowing dangerously. She knew _exactly_ what to do.

* * *

It had taken quite a bit of explaining and reassuring for Sans to get the point across to his brother that eighteen-hundred hours was, in fact, another way of saying six o'clock PM and _not_ saying that they were supposed to meet up in one thousand eight hundred hours. It might have been funny if he wasn't already so nervous about the outing, for reasons he didn't want to think about nor explain. Papyrus had gone all out getting dressed, putting on a pair of black dress pants and an orange button-up shirt, topped off with a pair of shiny black dress shoes, his red gloves, and his favorite red scarf. Mettaton would have a field day picking apart what was wrong with his wardrobe, of that Sans was certain.

"BROTHER, YOU HARDLY DRESSED UP AT ALL!" Papyrus suddenly cried, sounding disappointed as he gestured a gloved hand toward Sans. The shorter skeleton glanced down at himself, raising a browbone. He'd gone out of his way to put on a clean pair of jeans instead of his usual track shorts, a long-sleeved black shirt, and a royal blue sleeveless hooded jacket. He'd even traded in his slippers for a pair of black tennis shoes. A part of him wanted to feel the slightest bit offended, because he actually _had_ tried to dress up, but he knew it was only because he wasn't wearing a tie. (Papyrus was, shockingly enough; a little black bowtie, hidden beneath his scarf.)

He shrugged, "Hey, I never look dressed up compared to you, bro. You're the best at dressin' nice." The compliment turned the tables quickly, and Papyrus grinned, giving a pleased "Nyeh" as he crossed his arms over his chest, nodding.

"INDEED! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS THE BEST AT MANY THINGS, AND DRESSING SHARP IS MOST CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM." Sans chuckled and the taller skeleton pulled the glove on his left hand down a bit, exposing his Superman wristwatch. "THE HUMANS ARE RUNNING LATE. SHOULD WE NOT GO AND CHECK ON THEM?"

"Nah, 'm sure they'll be here soon. Don't worry about it."

They weren't kept waiting long. After another few minutes, the door to Lena's apartment came flying open, nearly sending Papyrus flying into the wall, if Sans hadn't grabbed him and sidestepped in time. Brit stood there, hands on her hips and looking absolutely victorious. "Thanks for waiting! Took me a bit longer to wrestle her into her clothes than I expected!" That was a mental image that was certainly...interesting. Brit hadn't actually changed that much, though she had done her make-up (she waved off Papyrus' complaints of her not having dressed up enough). She stepped out of the doorway and pulled Lena out with her, revealing her 'masterpiece'. Sans wasn't one for traditional standards of beauty, but even he had to admit that a little makeup did a lot. He found himself fascinated, wanting to ask if he could watch her apply it next time so he could see how it worked. (Damn his scientific mind.)

Lena was dressed in a black flare skirt (oh my) and a flowy green blouse with a neck just deep enough to show off 'the goods', as Brit so affectionately called them, and sleeves that hung off of her shoulders. The auburn haired woman looked uncomfortable, constantly tugging at the back of her skirt, as if she was afraid it wasn't long enough, even though it was perfectly fine. Sans found his eyes lingering, curious as to how the fabric hung so perfectly off of her, complimenting her figure. Her shoulders even had the smallest covering of freckles, just like her cheeks, and he suddenly found himself wondering if the rest of her skin was as soft as her hands.

' _Stop stop, oh my god, what the fuck-'_

"So! Ready to go?" Brit asked and oh, that bitch, she had a look on her face that just screamed mischief. Sans ripped his eyes away from the human he'd been admiring and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, heading toward the parking lot.

"Yep. So ready."

"HUMAN LENA, YOU LOOK QUITE NICE! NOT AS NICE AS I, BUT YOU ARE STILL LOVELY!" Papyrus said generously, reaching out to pat a gloved hand on her shoulder, and Lena felt her face pull up into a small smile.

"Heh, thanks, Pappy." Sans kicked himself mentally, wondering why he didn't think of saying anything? But why would he? Friends didn't just randomly start complimenting each other, right? No, that'd be weird, unless you're Papyrus, in which case-

"Come _on_ you guys, let's go!" Brit whined, grabbing Lena's hand and interlacing their fingers as she tugged her down the stairs and to the car. "Papyrus, you can drive, right? You didn't plan on drinking anyway, right?" The taller skeleton nodded excitedly, pulling a set of keys from his pocket, as though he'd planned it from the very beginning.

"ALLOW THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO CHAUFFEUR MY FRIENDS TO OUR DESTINATION OF FUN!"

They all piled into the red convertible and, after much demanding, he put the roof down, radio on full blast the entire fifteen minute drive.

When they pulled up in front of the place Brit had picked for them, there was a brief moment of silence that passed between them. It was a large place, with bright lights and music so loud that the bass was shaking the car windows. Lena immediately felt ill at ease, but she didn't have much chance to turn back, since she was already being pulled out of the car by her friend.

"C'mon, c'mon! I heard this place is awesome!" Sans shot her a skeptical glance, raising a browbone at her.

"Y'mean you've never been here?" She returned his brow raise with one of her own, along with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm a stay at home mom with two kids under three. There's a _lot_ of places I've never been."

"IT IS SO NOISY! AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE! SANS, ISN'T THIS EXCITING?!" Sans took one glance around and immediately felt himself tense. There were far too many auras surrounding him, pushing in on him, and it was hard to hear over the sounds of the people and the music.

"Sure, bro." The short-haired human led their merry band of misfits inside, pushing past a few people toward an open table. The crowd parted quite quickly once they saw Papyrus' towering figure approaching, which Brit took as a bonus; Lena felt uncomfortable.

"Alright, you guys, I'll go and get our drinks!" She left without another word, without even asking what everyone wanted, and as soon as she was out of earshot, Lena leaned against the table with a sigh.

"She's exhausting sometimes. I can't even shower in peace when she's around..." Sans felt his browbone twitch slightly at that but played it off, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. "Um... I hope you don't mind going out..." He cracked an eyesocket open to glance over at her, and she suddenly seemed to realize what she said could be misconstrued, because she continued, "out with us to the bar, I mean." He gave a lazy roll of his shoulders, grinning.

" _Snow_ problem. I'm a pretty _chill_ guy, so I'm _cool_ with it." Papyrus groaned and ran a gloved hand down his skull.

"DO NOT EVEN START! I CAME HERE TO HAVE A NICE TIME!" The shorter skeleton chuckled and shrugged, glancing around discreetly. There were already a dozen pairs of eyes on them, at least. Tonight would end up being less about having fun and more about keeping an eye on the other humans. Maybe he shouldn't have come afterall...

The clatter of a thick glass hitting the table startled him from his focus on those staring at them, and he glanced up to see Brit had set down a drink in front of him. It was red and smelled strongly of spices, and there was a stalk of something green sticking out of the glass. Frowning, he sent her a quizzical look, to which she snorted. "It's called a 'bloody mary'. Just trust me." He cocked a brow and gave a small grin, picking up the glass easily and raising it in the air.

" _Christ_ of ya to buy me the first round, kiddo," he said, tipping the glass up to his mouth and taking a small, hesitant sip. _'Is this fucking spiked ketchup?'_ The taste of tomato and vodka hit him like a truck, and he wondered how on earth he hadn't learned about a drink this amazing before now. The humans sitting across from him looked pleased by his reaction, and Brit nodded, setting the next glass down in front of Papyrus. Chocolate milk, naturally.

"And for you, my love~" she purred, sliding a glass full of a gradient of red, orange and yellow in front of Lena. She had what looked like a glass of orange juice in her own hand which, surprisingly, was already half gone. "So, this place has some of the best screwdrivers I've ever had. Hands down."

"Screwdrivers, huh? Careful or you might get _hammered_." He sounded so pleased with himself, already laughing at his own joke, that the humans couldn't help but join in. Even Papyrus was smiling, though he didn't want to. Brit snorted.

"I _saw_ that one coming from a mile away. Hate to throw a _wrench_ into your plans, but that one just doesn't quite _measure up,_ " she drawled, raising her eyebrows in a silent challenge, and Lena quickly raised to drink from her glass as she could hear the unspoken words between them.

' _Challenge accepted.'_

* * *

It hadn't taken many drinks for Brit to start getting louder, as if she was slowly losing control over her own volume switches, and it became most obviously apparent when a new song came on over the speakers and she screamed, grabbing Lena and tugging on her arm.

"Babe, I _fucking_ love this song right now!"

"Oh yeah?" she asked, playing along, seeing Sans staring at them curiously from the corner of her eye.

"Yeah. It's literally my life right now, okay?"

"You don't say..." Suddenly there was a very tipsy Brit in her face, arms wrapping around her neck to pull her closer.

"Will you dance with me? Please? Pretty please?" The other woman sighed and allowed her head to fall to one side.

"Alright, fine..." The cry of joy her friend gave made a grin pull at her lips and she suddenly found herself being pulled out of her chair and toward the dance floor. The taller woman interlaced their fingers, holding her hand securely in her own as she spun the both of them around. She regret it instantly, feeling the room spinning a bit more than usual beneath her feet. She stumbled a bit and Lena had to reach out to catch her, the two of them dissolving into giggles.

There was something about the light, and how it brought a soft glow to her skin, her eyes shining brighter, even from a distance. She was graceful on her feet, even with the alcohol running through her system, and she carefully avoided bumping into other random clubbers, all while keeping her friend on her feet, as well. _'She's so amazing...'_ His eyelights trailed leisurely along her figure, watching with an intensity as she twisted and turned. The sway of her hips was _hip_ notic (heheh) and he tried to imagine that, beneath all of that supple flesh and soft skin, she had a skeleton much like himself. (That thought was more embarrassing than he expected it to be, and he was going to stop thinking about that now.) Those clothes that Brit had picked out flattered every single dip and curve, and wow, why did she ever worry about her appearance? She was imperfect and fascinating, and he might not have the best eye for 'human beauty', but she was beautiful to him. _'...Why am I thinking about this?'_ His curiosity was trying to get the best of him, and maybe it was the alcohol talking, but he was starting to feel a little bit more okay with that.

"-WITH THE HUMAN LENA?" Papyrus' voice suddenly cut through the boom of the music and chatter of surrounding conversation and Sans sat up, staring blankly at his brother, who was looking at him strangely. When it became obvious he hadn't heard, Papyrus sighed. "I ASKED WHY YOU WERE NOT GOING TO DANCE WITH THE HUMAN LENA!" Shit, had he been that obvious? He gave a lazy grin and shrugged his shoulders, tipping back his glass and emptying the rest of his bloody mary, holding the celery between his teeth.

"Nah, I couldn't do that. Don't have the _guts_ for it." His brother groaned loudly and slammed back his glass of chocolate milk, narrowing his eyes at Sans in a light glare. "'sides, she looks like she's havin' fun already." The two skeletons looked out at the dance floor and smiled fondly at the two humans, who were currently clinging to each other as they laughed. Something about the two of them together looked complete. _'Wonder if she'd look like that with me.'_ His thoughts were interrupted as a group of guys stumbled from their table and out onto the main floor, approaching the two women.

"Hey, sweetheart, care for a dance?" Brit turned to look at the guy, who looked like he was already two drinks away from passing out. His five o'clock shadow was spotty and thick, his nice suit stained with spilled alcohol, and he reeked of booze. She raised a brow and waved him off.

"Uh, no thanks, my girl and I are busy right now," she said shortly, turning back to Lena and attempting to walk to a different part of the dance floor, but couldn't. They were suddenly surrounded.

"Your girl, huh? That's kinda hot. How's about you two come with us and we can _really_ get busy?" The taller woman frowned, her hold on Lena's hand tightening as she glanced around them nervously. "See you were with those freaks. What's up with that, doll?"

" _Don't_ call me doll. And those guys are our friends."

"What? You a monster fucker?" Lena's face turned scarlet and the man who first spoke scowled. He was apparently the leader. _'Juuust great.'_ "That's fucked up. What've they got that I don't got?"

"A bigger dick," Brit sneered, and she only had a second to enjoy her little victory before pain bloomed from her left cheek, her head turned forcibly from the momentum. The guy's hand was raised from having just slapped her. Lena's eyes widened fearfully, pulling her friend closer to her.

"You're jokin', right? Skeleton's don't got dick. You sluts don't know what you're missin'." His expression suddenly turned devious as he grabbed for Lena, fingers wrapped around her forearm in an iron grip. Brit moved to help her but was suddenly jerked back by her hair, and she gave a cry of pain. "Maybe we oughta take your girl here out back and show her a good time-"

"I wouldn't recommend it." The man jumped and stumbled forward, turning around to find Sans standing there, hands shoved deep into his pockets, the lights completely vacant from his eyesockets. His grin was menacing, and they could hear him curling and uncurling his bony fingers into a clenched fist. "If ya don't let 'em go, you're gonna wind up havin' a **bad time**." His voice dropped in pitch at those two words, sounding almost unnatural, and the humans all shuddered. "Let 'em go." The human leader forced a laugh, alcohol acting as confidence, and his grip on Lena's arm tightened. She gave a small whimper of pain, and Sans narrowed his eyesockets dangerously.

"Whatcha gonna do, freak?! You're not in your freakshow town anymore. Your bullshit monster laws don't protect you here!" It infuriated the small skeleton to realize that he was, in fact, right. Any use of magic would look bad, not just for him, but for all of monsterkind.

"HELLO, HUMANS! I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE, BUT IT APPEARS THAT MY FRIENDS ARE NO LONGER HAVING ANY FUN." Papyrus was suddenly there, and the humans all looked much more intimidated by him than by Sans, even though he was smiling pleasantly. "AS THE DESIGNATED DRIVER, IT IS MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET HOME SAFELY. SO, IF YOU WILL EXCUSE US-"

"What, and let you take this fine piece of ass? You wanna fuck 'er yourself, that it?! You freaks are disgusting!" Papyrus tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN, BUT MIGHT I ASK THAT YOU NOT USE SUCH FOUL LANGUAGE? IT IS QUITE RUDE."

"You hearin' this guy? Is he for real?"

"Listen, how about you fuck off. Take your little pipsqueak freak friend here," he said, motioning blindly toward Sans, "and go back to where you fucking came from!" A gloved hand suddenly shot out, resting on the human man's shoulder heavily, and Papyrus stooped down slightly to look him in the eye.

"I WILL HAVE TO ASK YOU NOT TO SPEAK OF MY BROTHER THAT WAY." His tone was flat, lacking its usual cheerfulness, and the human shuddered, batting his hand away and spitting in his face. Papyrus raised his hand to wipe the offending fluid away, but was caught off-guard. One of the other men surrounding them grabbed a bottle and swung forward, shattering the glass against the taller skeleton's skull.

Sans' mind went blank.

His left eye began to glow a fierce cyan blue, little flashes of yellow, and he released a sound so animalistic that it could only be described as a snarl. "You done fucked up." He raised his hand and suddenly the humans' souls were jerked from their bodies, glowing a deep blue. He swung his arm downward and they all fell to the floor, leaving only Brit, Lena, and the human man holding her standing. By now, other people had begun to finally take notice of the altercation, and there was a wide open space in the middle of the dance floor. The human groups' leader looked like he was about to piss himself, knees quaking as his fingers dug into the soft flesh of Lena's arm, his face pale.

"Y-you're fucked now! You've used magic against humans! Th-they're gonna send you freaks back where you came from, a-and-"

"Sans, don't!" Lena suddenly cried out, her eyes fearful, freckles standing out in stark contrast to her pale face. She looked like she was about to cry, and that only fueled the fire in Sans' soul even more. Why was she telling him to stop? "Please, don't hurt him! You're b-better than that!" Ha, did she even know who she was talking to? Apparently not.

...Even so, why did her words make him hesitate, his magic wavering?

The human man also seemed to notice this and he laughed, a manic sound, and jerked up roughly on her arm, releasing another cry of pain. "Hahaha! You're pretty well trained for a monster! Yeah...Y-yeah, just stay back and she won't get hurt! In fact..." He leaned down and nuzzled against her neck, inhaling deeply, and Lena felt a shudder of fear run through her. "...might even show her a good time. Better than someone like _you_ ever could." Sans growled, vision flickering between her and Papyrus, who was holding his skull between his gloved hands. He watched as the human's free hand started roaming all over her, teasing just beneath the edge of her blouse, and stars, he wanted to kill him. He wanted to crush his body into the floor until he was nothing but splintered bones and a pool of blood. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so angry, so raw and unfiltered and angry. Not since the timelines of genocide.

His patience was wearing thin, and as he watched the human's filthy hand dip underneath her skirt, he felt himself snap. Everything happened all at once.

The human suddenly gave a sharp scream of pain as Lena threw her head backward, straight into his nose. A gush of blood exploded from his surely broken nose, and he lost his grip on her. She stumbled away, but not far enough. He reached blindly and grabbed her by her hair, throwing her to the floor. Sans watched as her head bounced off of the hard tile floor and she fell still.

Everything felt cold.

His vision went black.

His mind went blank.

His soul exploded with rage.

Before he could move, though, there was another human, and he started weighing his options in having to fight against two of them without killing them, but he was caught off guard. This new human reeled his fist back and sent it flying into the offender's jaw, clocking him with a solid blow and sending him teetering to the ground. Everything was a buzz of static, and he could barely make out what was being said to him. They saw the whole thing happen. They were regular troublemakers. They needed to leave. What?

Papyrus was pulling his arm, and his one single glowing eyelight noted that there was a crack going down the middle of his skull. He had Lena cradled against his chest with one arm, and the look on his face was desperate, tugging, mouth moving and saying things that Sans couldn't hear. Then Brit was there, too, shoving his shoulders roughly to get him to move toward the door. They all piled into the car and Sans watched as Brit held her unconscious friend tightly to her chest, eyes wide with fear and hands trembling as she tried to examine her head. Her beautiful auburn hair was stained scarlet by- blood. _Blood._ _ **Blood.**_

His body seized in the front passenger seat, and he could vaguely notice Papyrus reaching over to him, trying to calm him with one hand as he drove with the other. Brit yelled something from the back seat, and Papyrus made a U-turn in the middle of the road, driving far faster than he should have been toward an unknown destination.


	24. Chapter 24

"You guys _can't_ be there! If they see a couple of monsters dropping her off, you know what they're gonna think!" Brit was screaming from the back seat, and Papyrus felt himself flinch. His skull was throbbing with sharp pain, and he knew that he wasn't in any real danger, but it was in his best interest to get to Toriel for healing quickly. "Just...just drop us off." The human sounded like she was on the verge of tears, her voice trembling, and Papyrus just couldn't bring himself to argue. She was right on all accounts, anyway. He pulled the wheel and made a sharp U-turn, turning onto the road headed toward Tristin.

"It'll be okay, babe. Y-you're fine..." Brit pet the unconscious woman's head gently, fingers gently prodding, feeling, trying to assess the damage. Her eyes flickered to Sans in the front seat, giving him a quick glance over. She hadn't seen him get hit, so he was fine, thankfully. One less hurt person to worry about. Her own cheek stung fiercely and her scalp burned where her hair was so roughly pulled, but that was nothing. She felt the damp spot on the back of her friend's head growing and, when she pulled her hand away, saw that her fingers were slick with blood. She suddenly felt thankful that past experience made her not fearful of blood. She had to hold herself together for right now. Even as she told herself that, though, she could feel her chest growing tighter. She fumbled in her pocket for her phone and started texting her husband, sending short little messages back and forth, trying to keep herself calm.

It wasn't working.

By the time Papyrus pulled up in front of the hospital, he made a move to get out and help them in, but she refused. She climbed out and pulled Lena out as carefully as possible, feeling her stomach lurch the way her friend's head fell forward limply. _'Hold it together. Hold it together.'_ With promises to text them, she sent the skeleton brothers on their way, shooting Sans one last concerned glance before they pulled away and disappeared down the road.

"Are you alright?!"

"What happened?!"

"Quick, bring a stretcher!"

As she watched her friend being carried away, Brit fell to her knees and retched, anxiety whittling away at her and guilt clawing at her heart and mind. _'If only I hadn't made them go out...'_

* * *

Once they arrived back in Taobh, Sans had become completely unresponsive. No matter how Papyrus tried to talk to him, tried making awful puns that made no sense, cracked the lamest jokes he knew, quoted the worst memes, nothing did a thing. He sat so still, so completely void of any movement or sign of life that, if Papyrus weren't able to sense his soul and monsters didn't turn to dust upon death, he'd have worried his brother had died. So he did the only thing he could do, which, at the time, was reaching over to hold his hand.

He pulled into a parking space messily and quickly got out of the car, striding up to Toriel's apartment door and knocking loudly. The sound of someone shuffling around inside could be heard, and he heard the queen's voice, quietly mumbling something about 'late hours' and 'unexpected company'. The door swung open and she looked slightly annoyed, and Papyrus felt a momentary guilt because he knew that Frisk was already in bed. She recognized him and immediately her eyes widened, expression becoming drenched with concern.

"Papyrus, what- ...Come in, come in! Where is your brother?" He turned and looked at the car, frowning when he saw that it was now empty, his brother nowhere to be found.

"He...went to bed, I believe..." he murmured, turning and giving Toriel a big smile that was supposed to be reassuring. "It has been a rather _eventful_ evening." She sighed and pulled him by the arm to sit on the couch, paws gently holding either side of his skull and tilting it to get a better look. The expression she had on her face now was pained as she traced the crack lightly, hearing Papyrus' bones clatter together roughly as he flinched.

"Poor dear... What on earth happened?" She closed her eyes and rested a heavy paw on top of his skull, and he grit his teeth against the pain as his vision became enveloped in a soft green light.

"Well, the human Lena came home upset, so human Brit came over and we had a movie night slumber party."

"Yes, I heard from Frisk...she got fired, did she not?" He made a small noise, a hum of agreement, since he was unable to nod his head. "Awful... So how did this happen?"

"Human Brit said that she wanted to go out to have drinks," he said, hearing her give a small suspicious hum, and he continued. "They were having quite a bit of fun, at first! They were dancing and laughing and my brother was so happy watching, and everything was great."

"...But?"

"But...then some humans came, and they were quite rude to us, and to them because-" _'Because they were with us.'_ Papyrus wasn't so totally innocent of how the world saw them, and how they treated those who were kind to them... He just preferred to believe in people's potential kindness. That did little good for them tonight, obviously. He sighed. "One of them hit me with a bottle, I think. One hit the human Brit on the face, but she was alright. Lena..." He felt Toriel's hand clench reflexively on top of his skull, and he winced slightly. She removed her hand, having done all the healing she could, and knelt down in front of Papyrus, paws resting on his shoulders.

"What about Lena and Sans?" she asked carefully.

"Sans was unhurt... Lena is... The human Brit took her to the hospital." The queen sucked in a breath and leaned in closer, wrapping her warm arms around Papyrus' shoulders in a hug. His jaw was trembling, he hadn't even noticed. He leaned his forehead against her shoulder and mumbled against her. "Everything will be fine. I... I-I believe that she will be fine. She is strong..." She nodded, stroking the back of his skull absentmindedly, and after a few moments she pulled away, giving him a small smile.

"There is some pie in the fridge. Please eat some, it will help you feel better." He nodded and watched curiously as she headed toward her front door.

"Where are you going, Your Majesty?" She paused just outside the doorway, looking back at him with eyes full of determination.

"I am going to speak with your brother."

* * *

It happened again.

He had been unable to protect the people he cared about...again. Again, and again, and again. How many times would he have to watch them be hurt, while he stood by, useless? The ache in his soul grew stronger with every breath he drew, as if he were breathing in smoke, clouding his mind. Everything felt cloudy, inky, dark.

" _Go ahead! Try to tell yourself this isn't real. I dare you~"_

He raised his hands to cover where his ears would have been, trying to block out the noise, only for his actions to be in vain. It was real. It was real, and he saw it happen. The way her skull bounced like a rubber ball off of the tile. The faint cracking noise he'd heard, faintly, through the thrum of music that was so loud it'd shaken windows. The dark red blood staining her hair. It was real, and he couldn't stop it. His body trembled and his soul throbbed viciously, his magic spiking, reacting to his emotions. He fell through the passenger seat and fell into his living room, knocking his kneecap roughly against the coffee table, and he hissed in pain. It did little to clear his mind, to calm his soul.

Lena did that.

Humans were strong. Their souls were far stronger, but their defenses were weaker. They had no magic to protect them anymore. But was she strong enough? Her soul had been weaker, her emotional turmoil draining on her spirit. What if it wasn't enough? What if she didn't make it? Head trauma was a serious thing to humans. He'd read reports where some people never woke up, bodies sustained by machines and their existence kept in limbo. What if she didn't come back?

His left eye glowed fiercely, the room filled with its harsh light, flickering between blue and yellow. Bones began to rise from the floor, surrounding him like a cage. A small opening of pure darkness appeared just over his head, slowly growing wider with every labored breath he gasped. He was panicking. Why was he panicking? Why did the thought of never seeing her again fill his soul with such chaos?

A soft knocking came from the door, rapping twice, and he flinched, jagged bones spawning from the air around him, pointed outward, defensive, protecting. It took him several minutes before he could calm himself enough to realize who it was, and he shuddered with his sigh.

"This is where you are supposed to say, 'Who is there?', are you not?" Toriel's soft voice came, slightly muffled through the door, and he gave a dry bark of laughter. Why did it sound more like a sob?

"Who's there?" he rasped, and he could hear the concern in her tone.

"Won't."

"Won't who?" He already knew where this was going.

"Won't who tell me what's bothering you?" He huffed a breath and lowered his hands from his head, slowly taking control back over his magic and making the bones surrounding him disappear. He scooted back until he was leaning against the door, her just on the other side. Just like old times.

"That one was pretty bad, Tor," he said, and she gave a small chuckle.

"Yes, well, my mind is rather occupied at the moment. ...Are you okay?" Why did that question make him feel like crying? He pulled his knees to his chest and buried his head in his arms, sighing. "...Sans?"

"Why's bad shit gotta happen to such good people, Tor? 's not fair..." She hummed softly in agreement, and he could faintly hear the sound of her claws tapping rhythmically against the door. "I couldn't-" His throat that he didn't have suddenly felt tight, and he choked on his words. "I couldn't keep 'em safe, Tor..."

"It is not your fault, Sans... Papyrus is worried about you, you know."

"...I know."

"Why don't you come down, talk to him? He is all healed, having some pie. You should join us." He stayed silent, feeling guilt nagging at him, and he curled in on himself more tightly. "...Well, you are welcome whenever you are ready. If you wish to go to bed, then that is fine, as well. You could use the rest." A shuffling sound indicated that she got to her feet, and she turned to walk away, but paused. Turning back, she leaned her forehead against the door, paws pressed against it, willing for Sans to hear her. "I believe that I know Lena well... She does not blame you, my friend. The only one who does is you... Please, do not be so hard on yourself..." After another few seconds, waiting, she sighed and padded away from his door and toward her own apartment. As soon as he could hear that she was gone, he slumped against the door, bones clattering as he trembled.

"Not my fault...? They wouldn't've done it if we weren't with 'em... If she wasn't with a monster." _'But what could've happened if we weren't there?'_ Images of the filthy human's hands roaming all over her came to his mind, and he clenched his jaw so tightly that his teeth ground together. It made him livid, his soul flaring brightly with anger as his mind began to wander, filling in the blanks of 'what if's, if a group of drunken human men had dragged two human women off, and-

A low growl rumbled from his chest, face contorted into an expression of rage. _'Those fuckers even think of touching my human, and I'll kill them.'_

...Why did it feel so good to think of her as that? As _his_ human? He groaned and let his skull fall into his hands, closing his eyesockets tightly. " _Fuck_."

How did this happen? How did he end up beating himself up over not being able to keep a human that wasn't Frisk from harm? How did he find himself so emotionally distraught and lost just at the thought of not seeing a human again? How was he more worried about a human than Papyrus? Even though Papyrus was fine now, he'd _never_ let anything else take precedence in his mind, _ever._ How did this happen?

' _How did I wind up falling in love with a human...?'_

"Sans...?" A different voice was outside the door now, and Sans scrambled to his feet, quickly pulling the door open, revealing his younger brother. He was standing there looking and sounding so small, wringing his gloved hands nervously as his skull practically contorted with concern. All it took was one look at his brother's face and Papyrus' eyes began to glow that soft orange light, and he reached out and scooped his older brother up into his arms, reaching behind him to close and lock the door. Sans latched onto him, arms winding tightly around his neck. It had taken a long time for him to be comfortable with this. With letting Papyrus in, letting him comfort him.

"You okay?" Papyrus shushed him, striding into his bedroom and sitting on the edge of the bed. "'m sorry, bro. I'm so sorry." He didn't respond, flopping onto his side with his brother still in his arms, so they were laying together in his racecar bed. "She got hurt 'cus of me, bro."

"My head hurts, you bonehead. Go to sleep," Papyrus scolded gently, not really meaning it, and Sans curled into his brother's chest more closely, the trembling slowly subsiding.

"Okay, Pap... Okay.

* * *

The beeping of various machines filled the air, and it combined with the sterile, mediciney smell was enough to make Brit nauseous. It had taken over an hour before she was allowed into the room, and it was so similar compared to the last time that she felt herself starting to lose it. Lena had been fortunate, the nurses said, that she was delivered to the hospital so quickly. Head wounds always bleed a lot, they said, and so it just appeared worse than it actually was. It was a small cut, not big enough to warrant stitches, and all of the x-rays and MRIs said that her skull and her brain were, wholly, undamaged. She had a concussion, and that would fade with time. Again, they asked for her family's contact information, and Brit had boldly refused.

She slumped into a chair next to the hospital bed and scooted it as close as possible, leaning to lay on the unconscious woman's legs, tightly holding onto her hand. "Sorry... I'm sorry, Lena." She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, turning her head to bury her face in the blankets covering her legs.

After a while, the nurses came back in and said that she was free to go home. Brit was in disbelief, but they insisted that since she had no fractures or brain damage, that she clear out. Apparently the ER was busy. There was a group of five or six men that came in that needed attention. Brit hoped that they got what was coming to them.

| **Brit** : Just a concussion. I'm taking her back to my place. I'll text you when she wakes up. |

She sent the message to Papyrus and, pausing only for a second, sent another message to her husband, requesting a ride. Her van was still at the apartment, and they'd been dropped off, leaving them with no way to travel. A nurse came in and, again, asked when they would be leaving, and Brit had spat that they had a car coming, and they'd leave as soon as they could. The pushiness was not doing a thing to help improve her mood.

By the time Jordan arrived with the car and they got loaded up and headed home, she burst, retelling everything that had happened and how it was her fault. She was told again and again that it wasn't, but as she glanced in the back seat at her injured and unconscious friend, she couldn't help but feel like she was right all along.


	25. Chapter 25

[[ Brit here! This is another feelsy chapter, but things are starting to look up! Give it time! Also affectionate Pap is probably one of my favorite things right now, help. ]]

* * *

Waking up had been painful, and it was with a soft groan that Lena slowly dragged her body into a sitting position, swaying as a nauseating bout of dizziness struck her from the small movement alone. _'What happened...?'_ She opened her eyes slowly and was startled for a moment to find that she was, in fact, not in her apartment. The familiarity of the space kept her from panicking, though, and she breathed a small sigh of relief. She was in her friend's house, in her old room that, though it no longer held her belongings, still had the bed she'd slept in. The throbbing ache in her head made her eyes clench tightly shut from the pain, and she raised a hand to gently touch at the sore spot on her head. Her fingers retracted almost immediately as if burned, the searing pain surfacing from just that slight touch enough to pull a pained hiss from between her clenched teeth.

Then she remembered. She remembered being out, having so much fun, catching Sans gazing at her from across the room...then, the drunks. They'd surrounded them, and Sans had used his magic, he- _'Where is Sans? And Papyrus? Are they okay?!'_ Panic struck through her like a bolt of lightning and she moved, quickly throwing the blankets off of her legs and turning until her feet touched the ground. Then she stood...far too quickly, apparently, because the way her stomach churned uneasily and the room spun around her made her nearly fall over. It took a few long moments for the feeling to fade and, when she felt fairly confident she wasn't going to vomit, she slowly made her way across the small room, hands gripping onto every sturdy surface to help her along. The floorboards creaked beneath her bare feet, and it must have been just loud enough to alert someone, because she could soon hear feet pounding against the floor headed toward her.

The door swung open quickly and Brit stood there, brows furrowed worriedly. "What the hell are you doing? Get back in bed!" she scolded, voice soft, though, which Lena was grateful for. Every slight sound made her head throb with pain. "You have a concussion, babe. You need to take it easy..." It was obvious she was concerned, and the redhead just couldn't bring herself to be frustrated with her, no matter how much she wanted to get up. It took little coaxing to get her back into bed, and just as Brit tucked the blankets back around her hips, Lena grabbed her hand, eyes imploring. The question wasn't asked vocally, but it was still understood regardless. "Papyrus healed up just fine, and Sans was uninjured." The sigh of relief was immense as she felt a tenseness and weight being lifted from her chest. So relieved, in fact, that she allowed herself to doze off again, waking up around lunch time to the sounds of her friend's children being laid down for their naps. She'd stayed in bed as she'd been commanded, but Brit slipped into her room a few minutes after the children went silent, closing the door quietly behind her and climbing onto the bed, asking if the injured woman needed anything.

"I want to go home..." she mumbled, and she knew that wasn't a particularly wise choice by the way the taller woman's jaw clenched slightly. "I know that you're worried about me...b-but I'm worried about them. I'll be fine back in my own apartment. Toriel is just a phone call away, and so are Sans and Papyrus!" When had her eyes started watering? She couldn't tell, but the faint trembling in her fingers as they smoothed out the blanket lying across her lap only worsened as she thought about them. About Sans. The look of terror and anguish on his face was the very last thing she'd gotten a glance of, and it haunted her. She wanted to be with him, to tell him that she was alright...and so that she could feel more alright herself. Brit sighed heavily and stared at a far corner of the room, eyes unfocused as she gnawed her bottom lip in thought. When she turned her gaze back to Lena, it was uncertain, concerned.

"...You call me if you start feeling bad." It wasn't a question or a request, and Lena nodded slowly, her lips curving up into a small, grateful smile. Out of anyone, she understood, and she loved her for that. "Jordan's at work, so we'll have to hope that Papyrus or Toriel can drive here and pick us up. I need to get my van from your place anyway." As she spoke, she'd already pulled out her phone, sending brief messages to both. A response came in less than a minute, and she smiled when she saw Toriel's response.

| **Toriel** : Of course, my child. I shall be there within the hour. I will do my best to heal her, as well, if you are alright with that. |

She truly was a kind monster, Brit thought to herself, feeling suddenly very appreciative of the motherly aura she exuded. "Tori says she'll be here in an hour. You wanna get in the tub and wash the hospital smell off of ya before you go home to your bonefriend?" The flush of pink across the ginger's cheeks pulled a snicker from the other woman, rolling to dodge a weak slap to the shoulder.

"H-he's not..." Lena's voice trailed off weakly and Brit leaned up to nuzzle her cheek, pressing a kiss to her flushed cheekbone.

"Shhhh I'm just teasin'. Now c'mon, let's go take that bath." She nodded and allowed herself to be helped out of bed and to the bathroom, even though she wanted to insist that she was fine. (The way she wavered on her feet would have made for an unconvincing argument, anyway.) The warm water was a blessing, and she only whimpered slightly as Brit gently washed her hair, being more than careful to avoid the cut along her scalp. The dried flecks of blood were washed away and, after the tub was drained and she sat on the toilet wrapped in a towel, she felt much more like herself. A gentle knock from the front door had Brit mumbling a curse, draping another towel around the cold and trembling Lena's shoulders and rushing to the door.

"Hey, c'mon in! She just got out of the bath, so give us a few minutes to get her dressed," she addressed the monster casually, leaving the front door hanging open and motioning for her to come in as she headed back toward the bathroom. Toriel lingered outside the door for a moment awkwardly before she let herself in, carefully and quietly closing the door behind her. She could hear the two humans talking to each other further down the hall, but she did not want to intrude. So she padded into the living room and sat on the couch, paws folded neatly in her lap as she patiently waited.

"Sorry to keep you, your majesty. Drying all this hair is a chore!" The humans had returned, Brit holding her friend up as she walked unsteadily toward the couch. She sat her next to Toriel and raised a hand to brush her bangs out from in front of her face gently.

"Oh, you poor dear! How could anyone do something so horrid..." The large monster looked like she could cry, her large, amethyst-colored eyes glassy and bright. "Here, allow me!" She reached an arm out and gently placed a large, soft paw against Lena's forehead, eyes slipping closed as she quickly and efficiently summoned forth her magic. Green tendrils of healing magic sprouted forth from her paw, reaching toward, onto, and into the humans' head, and after a few seconds Lena could feel her headache lessening slightly. Magic really was an incredible thing. "This should help. We are fortunate that you were not more seriously harmed, my dear..." Warm arms then surrounded Lena as she found herself being pulled to the monster's chest in a tender embrace. It was so maternal-feeling and comforting that she leaned into it, closing her eyes. "When I heard from Papyrus what had happened... I was so, so worried, as are the others."

"H-how are they doing...?" She didn't know why she felt so hesitant to ask, and she felt silly for it when the queen so easily answered, pulling away with a smile.

"Papyrus is quite well, though he is quite worried. He has much faith in your strength, though, so he is okay." She paused then, her smile faltering slightly. "Sans was uninjured..." There seemed to be more there, but Toriel didn't say, and so Lena didn't feel like she could ask. She smiled and nodded, feeling the slightest bit relieved.

"Mama?" A small voice came from the doorway and all three women turned, sighing and putting her hands on her hips.

"How on earth did you get out of your room?!" she asked, voice full of mock-surprise, though the look on her face was one of amusement. "My little locksmith." She heard a soft noise from the couch and glanced over to see Toriel staring at the child, eyes wide with awe and some other emotion that was difficult to place. The child ran over to his mother, hugging her leg, and Brit chuckled and ruffled his blond hair. "Go on, baby, say hi!" Large blue eyes flickered up to his mother's for confirmation before he looked up at Toriel, eyes filled with wonder. He extended his hand with a small wave, cheeks dimpling as he smiled.

"Hi..." Toriel looked as though her heart had just burst, her amethyst eyes tearing up the slightest bit as she gave him a warm smile, returning the wave.

"Hello, dear one... It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Toriel..." She sounded shy, which was surprising, coming from the queen. Lena gently pulled herself away and grabbed the boy, pulling him onto her lap, where he quickly clung to her, face burying in her chest.

"Tori..!" he said proudly, and Lena laughed at the bright smile that came over the queen's face. He started talking then, broken phrases and words about all sorts of things, and Toriel looked totally enraptured, hanging on every slight sound the child made. It was adorable, really, and incredibly endearing. A voice from another room caught their attention, and the boy turned to point down the hallway. "Sissy! Ah comin'!" The women laughed and Brit headed toward the hall.

"I'll go get 'er." With that, she vanished. The boy squirmed slightly, not liking his mother being out of sight, but Lena simply brushed through his hair with her fingers and he settled right down.

"He seems to like you very much."

"Well, I've been around them for a while. I'm their Auntie Lena!" Lena beamed, her smile stretching more genuinely across her lips. It was amazing how much better she already felt. Not quite one hundred percent, but it was still a vast improvement, and she was more than appreciative. The padding of little feet coming down the carpeted hallway broke through their conversation, and Lena turned to gasp playfully at another, slightly smaller child who was headed her way. "Hey Livy!" The little girl growled at her loudly and held her arms up to be held, but stopped when she seemed to realize Toriel sitting next to her 'Auntie' on the couch. Toriel stiffened, smiling, but her eyes were hesitant, as if she were waiting for the child to become fearful and start crying. Livy stared up at her for a long moment, then broke into a loud squeal and clambered up onto the queen's lap, burying her face in the monster's chest and leaning into her, cooing affectionately in a loud 'awww' sound.

"Awww, look at that! Livy doesn't usually just warm up to people like that. She really likes you, Tori," the mother praised, grinning and watching as Toriel's face became blissful, raising a paw to pet the child's hair softly.

"Yes, it seems that she does..." Her voice was fond, though it wavered very slightly, and her eyes were teary and happy.

After a few minutes of visiting, the sitter arrived, and it took a bit of fighting to get the children off of Toriel and into the play room so they could slip out of the house unnoticed. Lena wasn't certain who was struggling more: the children, or Toriel. Once they were finally outside, they piled into the queen's car and drove back to Taobh. Brit immediately had to hop into her car and return home, but she made sure not to leave before pressing a kiss to the redhead's cheek. As her friend drove off, Lena glanced up at Toriel, smiling warmly. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind having another possible babysitter..." She hadn't known, but that simple sentence had made the queen incredibly happy.

She had barely had time to even step into her apartment when she was suddenly swept up into a pair of bony arms, and her heart skipped a beat for a moment, face flushed, before she realized who they belonged to. A stream of 'nyoo hoo hoo's met her ears as Papyrus hugged her tightly, then seemed to realize her injury and set her down on the couch with a delicateness that was unexpected from him. "LENA! YOU ARE ALRIGHT, YES? HER MAJESTY SAID THAT YOU WERE HOME NOW, AND I DID NOT WASTE EVEN A SECOND BEFORE I CAME RIGHT OVER! DO YOU NEED ANYTHING? I CAN MAKE YOU SPAGHETTI IF YOU WANT! I CAN-"

"Pappy, hey, c-calm down!" she shouted, as it was the only way to be heard over his noisy worrying, and he quieted instantly, wringing his gloved hands together. She reached out and took his hands, stilling the anxious movements, and smiled. "I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache. Tori healed me with her magic, so I'm feeling much, much better." The relief that bled into his expression was adorable, and she couldn't help but giggle as he scooped her into yet another hug.

"I AM SO RELIEVED! I HAD FAITH THAT YOU WOULD BE FINE, BUT TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE IS VERY GOOD. I WILL MAKE SPAGHETTI ALFREDO TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE!" he exclaimed excitedly, and she chuckled.

"That sounds really good. ...Oh, but how are you doing?! Tori said she healed you, but..." He blinked in confusion for a moment, then, when he seemed to suddenly realize what she was talking about, set her down and tilted his head downward, allowing her to see. There was the faintest of green lines where the deepest part of the crack was, but it was otherwise completely gone. "Thank god... I was worried about you." He looked up with stars in his eyes, a grin across his skeletal face.

"WOWWIE, YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT ME? THANK YOU, HUMAN! IT IS MOST APPRECIATED!" He reached out and pat her on the head as he quickly jumped to his feet, hands on his hips. "I APOLOGIZE, HUMAN, BUT I MUST RETURN TO MY APARTMENT NOW. DINNER WILL BE READY AT FIVE, SO I WILL SE E YOU THEN!" He bent over and pressed his bony teeth to her forehead gently, pulling away with a laugh of "NYEH HEH HEH!" before leaving her apartment, being sure to close the door behind him. She felt her cheeks ache with her grin. Papyrus was always so sweet, always knew a way to cheer her up. She was so lucky to have such a kind friend. Suddenly feeling very tired, she decided the best thing to do would be to take a nap right then and there, curling up on the couch, an arm wrapped around her waist. She tried not to imagine that it was a certain skeleton's.

She failed.

* * *

She awoke to her phone beeping at her from within her pocket, and she sat up a little too quickly to try and see the time, her head spinning slightly. 5:15 PM. She was late! Frowning, she got herself up and paused, glancing at her bedroom before shaking her head. If she was already late, she wasn't going to waste any more time by trying to change clothes. Besides, it was dinner with the skeleton brothers. They wouldn't care if she was wearing baggy sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. She slipped her shoes on and immediately headed out, not bothering to lock her door behind her (not out of forgetfulness, but because she was that trusting of her neighbors). By the time she made it to their apartment, Papyrus was only just serving up the pasta, greeting her with a wide grin.

"HELLO, HUMAN! I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GOING TO STAY HOME."

"I'm so sorry, Pappy, I fell asleep and...I guess I was more tired than I thought. I'm sorry," she rambled slightly, to which he simply waved an oven mitt-clad hand at her, telling her not to worry about it. She smiled gratefully and moved to sit at the table as Papyrus handed her a plate full of angel hair pasta. The sauce was rich and smelled of Parmesan, and Lena didn't even realize how hungry she was until the delicious aroma wafted over her. "Mmm, this smells great!" The tall skeleton beamed at the praise, and he quickly gave himself an equally-full plate and sat down across from her, picking up his fork and digging in. It was slightly humorous to see him holding a fork with oven mitts, but it was also just so 'Papyrus' that it didn't seem out of place in the slightest. She picked up her own fork and twirled a bunch of the sauce-coated noodles around it, putting it into her mouth. The instant it touched her tongue, she hummed pleasantly. According to what Sans had told her of his cooking skills in the Underground, he had improved immensely. Speaking of whom...

"So, is Sans going to be joining us..?" she asked curiously, and she didn't miss nor like the way Papyrus tensed the slightest bit before sending her a huge smile.

"THAT BONEHEAD HAS STARTED ANOTHER PART-TIME JOB, AND HE FORGOT THAT HE WORKED TONIGHT. SILLY HIM, ALWAYS FORGETTING TO REMIND ME OF HIS SCHEDULE!"

"Oh..." She couldn't help but sound slightly disappointed, though only about as half as she actually felt. The meal continued on in silence for a few minutes, then Papyrus dove into telling her all sorts of things, like who his favorite TV star was (spoilers: It's Mettaton) and about his interview for a part-time job he had coming up. Lena was thrilled for him, and told him as such, and he looked incredibly proud when he told her that it was at Muffet's cafe. Even after the food was eaten and the leftovers put away, they continued to talk, and she couldn't help but realize that the later and later it got, the more Papyrus wanted to talk. She started to wonder just how late Sans worked, but figured it would be nosy of her to ask.

"WELL, HUMAN, YOU HAD BEST GO HOME AND GET SOME REST! EVEN IF HER MAJESTY HEALED YOU, IT WOULD STILL BE WISE FOR YOU TO TAKE IT EASY!" He gently nudged her out the door, and she tried not to feel hurt when the door closed behind her after they said their goodbyes. _'What was that all about...?'_ She shrugged it off and did as suggested, going home and taking a long, hot shower before curling up in bed. Even with her long nap, she still felt so tired... She fell asleep and dreamed that she was chasing a bluebird, trying to catch it, but it kept flying just out of her reach.

* * *

' _I'm such a coward...'_ White eyelights glowed dimly in dark sockets as Sans stared hard at the ceiling above his bed. He threw an arm over his face, his bulky sleeve covering his eyes as he closed them, breathing a sigh. A part of him was relieved. She was awake, walking, talking, eating... She was fine. She was talking and laughing with Papyrus, complimenting him on his cooking, and everything was good.

...Except that everything wasn't. Even through walls, he could sense her soul; how it wasn't quite as bright or vibrant as it always was. _'Maybe it's just still recovering from before,'_ he told himself, but he knew better. As he sat in his room and listened as his brother lied to her, talked to her, made her laugh and smile and try desperately to cheer her up, he knew better. He knew that it was his fault. He just couldn't do it, couldn't bring himself to face her after letting her get so badly hurt. The sight of her blood brought back vivid recollections of a nightmare, of her blood on his hands, bony phalanges slick with it, and he shuddered.

Chara had been right. She'd only get hurt around him.

So he kept his distance. Any time he could sense her soul approaching, he would open a door through the Void and leave. He'd hide in his room any time she came over for dinner. He slept all the time anymore, but he didn't get a single moment of rest. The dark circles beneath his eyesockets were ever darker, making him look weary and worn down. He thought back to how he felt waking up that morning before the incident, curled into her, arm wrapped so snugly around her waist, hands intertwined. It made a place deep in his soul twist, a painful longing that he slept to try and ignore. It never worked. Instead, he started seeing her in his dreams, some of them pleasant, most of them not.

He felt like he was beginning to go mad.

For a week, this continued. He'd teleport himself to and from work, never leaving his room, except for after Papyrus went to bed, eating cold spaghetti standing in front of the fridge before he'd return. His mattress was filthy, his room was filthy; it always had been, but now it was even worse. _He_ felt filthy. Like guilt slithered across his skull and between his bones, and pierced his soul like the fangs of a deadly serpent. Poisoned.

On the seventh day, Papyrus had come into his room without knocking, looking very clearly concerned. He asked questions, and Sans pretended to be asleep, face buried in his pillow as he struggled to breathe evenly. This was probably the worst thing he'd ever done. He never didn't talk to his brother. They both knew what was wrong, Sans knew that there was now way to fix it. After a few moments of one-sided conversation, Papyrus sighed, and quietly closed the door behind him. Sans squeezed his eyesockets shut and hissed out a long breath, a wave of pain crashing over his soul, but he ignored it. He ignored it because this was what was best for them. For her. She wouldn't be hurt like that again if she didn't associate with him.

It was really all for the best...

* * *

The week after she'd gotten back had really been kind of a gray blur. Undyne and Alphys had come over insisting to see her and to get the whole story of what had happened, because apparently Papyrus had just told them a short and sweet version that left a lot of questions unanswered. 'What if's were going to be the dust of them, so they came to check on her themselves. As Lena retold the tale, there was a lot of yelling (mostly on Undyne's part), threatening of persons not present (again, Undyne) and hugging (also Undyne, surprisingly). It took a lot of gentle coaxing from Alphys and a lot of insisting that she wasn't going to die before Undyne released Lena from her death-grip-like embrace. It really was endearing and touching that the badass captain of the Royal Guard (former) was so worried about her. Lena felt herself smiling the entire time, and when it came time for them to leave, she laughed as Undyne made yet another threat toward persons she didn't know and they went on their way.

Then the door closed, and her waving hand faltered, and her smile fell.

That was how it had been all week. For reasons she didn't know, she just wasn't quite herself. Part of her wanted to blame it on the concussion, which still very much had a small effect on her. Or maybe having been fired. That hadn't happened that long ago, after all. But something told her that those things, as valid as they were, just weren't it.

That something was the way that her chest ached every time she went to the skeleton brother's apartment and Sans wasn't there. A paranoid part of her mind told her that he was avoiding her; maybe she'd done or said something stupid when she'd been drinking? Maybe. Or maybe he was grossed out by how affectionate her friend was toward her. It was certainly true that she was more physically affectionate than other people were with their friends.

An even deeper, darker part of her mind told her that she'd misinterpreted everything from the very beginning.

 **He just showed you his soul so that it wouldn't be unfair. You pushed him into it. You were selfish. He never felt that way about you. Holding hands is something that friends do. Maybe he just accidentally started holding you in his sleep. Maybe Brit or Papyrus moved the two of you that way to tease you. He doesn't feel that way about you. You read everything wrong. There were no signs.** _ **He doesn't love you.**_

The pain that thought brings is palpable, like a hot stripe across her chest, burning, scalding. She tries not to think about it, busies herself with looking for jobs online. But that only brings her to wonder what's to happen with her future. A degree with no purpose. She'd never be able to be a teacher like she wanted now, she'd never be able to follow her dreams. _Dreams are called dreams for a reason: they end once you wake up._ A few days she spent alone in her apartment, not answering calls or texts and replying much later with a vague excuse.

She slept a lot. Hours upon hours she'd spend napping. Papyrus jokingly said that his brother's lazybones attitude was beginning to rub off on her. She'd laughed as she tried not to think about it too much.

But thinking was something your mind tended to do when you were alone, and she was alone a lot for that week, so thinking was a lot of what she did. Though she tried to keep them light, her thoughts almost always ended up growing heavy, dragging down into darker territory, and she wound up blasting music through her headphones at full volume to try and drown them out. Other times, she'd just sleep to avoid them.

She was in the middle of another nap when a loud knocking came from her front door, stirring her from her sleep. Slowly pushing herself up, she glanced toward the door from the sofa, wondering if she maybe imagined it. Just as she was about to lay back down, though, it happened again, and she slowly got to her feet. "I'm coming!" she called, raising a hand to cover a yawn while her other hand reached out for the doorknob, twisting it and pulling the door open. Papyrus was standing there for a second, then he was letting himself into her living room, pushing the door closed behind him.. "Oh, h-hey Pappy! Sorry, I was taking a nap." He frowned slightly at this, which surprised her, and he began to wring his hands.

"HUMAN, I...HAVE A REQUEST, IF I MAY BE SO BOLD AS TO ASK IT," he said, voice slightly uncertain, and Lena quickly nodded, leading him to sit on the couch. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, suddenly looking incredibly guilty. "I...WAS NOT HONEST WITH YOU. SANS HAS NOT BEEN WORKING. HE HAS BEEN IN HIS ROOM." As he spoke, he became more confident with his words, and he started to ramble. "HE DOES NOT HARDLY EAT, AND I SEE SO VERY LITTLE OF HIM. HE SLEEPS ALL THE TIME NOW- EVEN MORE THAN BEFORE! I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS POSSIBLE. AND..." He trailed off, and the amount of concern in his expression made Lena swallow hard. "HIS SOUL...It is...very dim. He is unhappy, and...I have tried to help, but there is so little I can do, it seems." She felt a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of talking, and it took her a moment to fully comprehend what was being asked of her.

"...But... Pappy, if he doesn't want to see me, then how am I supposed to help..." He turned fully toward her, tone urgent.

"HE _DOES_ WANT TO SEE YOU, HUMAN! HE IS...HE IS A BONEHEAD." Papyrus heaved a sigh and slumped over slightly, frowning. "WHEN WE WERE IN SNOWDIN, UNDERGROUND... HE WOULD OFTEN HIDE THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF 'PROTECTING ME'. IF HE WAS HURTING, HE WOULD NOT COME TO ME BECAUSE IT WAS 'BETTER FOR ME'. HE IS A NUMBSKULL WHO THINKS THAT HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING, ALWAYS!" His tone got slightly heated toward the end, and he seemed surprised by it himself, immediately sitting up straighter and looking over at her apologetically. "SO, IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND... I WISH FOR YOU TO TALK TO HIM."

"B-but what about...? I..." _Oh._ "Does...does he blame himself for what happened...?" she asked, and though Papyrus didn't answer, the way he tensed told her all she needed to know. Frowning, she got to her feet and headed toward the front door, not even bothering to grab her coat or shoes as she jerked it open. "I'll do my best, okay?" She sent him a flash of a smile before she closed her front door behind her. The cold crispness of the late winter air cooled her face and cleared her mind.

She was filled with _determination_.

* * *

Sans needed to eat something. His mind was swimming uneasily as he stared up at his ceiling- the same one he'd stared at for the larger part of the week. It wasn't fatal, just weakening, his body being devoid of the usual overflow of magical energy that it typically had. His senses all felt foggy, particularly his spiritual sense. The usual onslaught of soul auras and energies was nearly vanished, making him wonder briefly if he was now suddenly the only living thing around for miles. A stupid question, really, and he knew that.

He vaguely heard the door open and grunted as he rolled to his feet, pushing himself up and shuffling his slipper-clad feet toward the door. "Hey bro," he muttered, reaching out and twisting the doorknob for once instead of using magic. "Good timin'. I'm starved... Up for some leftov...ers..." The last word died in his metaphorical throat, eyesockets widening as someone who was most certainly _not_ his brother was standing in front of their now closed front door. It was Lena, her hair mussed and hanging loose around her shoulders, green eyes bright despite the small dark circles under her eyes. His first instinct was to run away, but her voice cut through the silence, startling him despite how gentle it was.

"Wait, please. I just- I...I'm sorry if I've upset you..." She sounds so sincere, and it's so ridiculous that Sans almost wants to laugh. That _she_ , of all people, is apologizing to _him_. "You've been avoiding me, and it..really hurts." His face falls into one of surprise and she presses onward, stepping closer to him, and he reflexively takes a step back. It's odd, having his body and soul being so completely at ends with one another. She remains silent for a while, and he realizes it's because she's expecting him to speak. So, giving an exaggerated, lazy shrug of his shoulders, he makes a small noncommittal grunt and tears his eyes away from her. "...Have I...done something wrong?" she asks, and her voice is suddenly so small and sad that his soul lurched in his chest.

"No, you didn't... Look, yer a human. We're monsters. Just not meant to be-"

"I know you're only saying that because of what happened... You never had a problem hanging out with me before then. It wasn't your fault..." He sighed and raised a hand to scratch at the back of his skull, eyelights flickering up to meet her face. "That sort of thing...i-it just happens. I would never let what some assholes think get in the way between me and the people I love. ...And the person I love." Her bottom lip was being tugged between her teeth gently, face flushing a faint pink, and oh, his soul did a funny little flip in his chest. _'No,'_ he thought, _'No no no, no way... I fell asleep and smoked too many dog treats.'_

"Y' don't know what you're talkin' about... Heh, joke's not funny, kiddo." She flinched slightly, an expression of hurt flashing across her face, and he felt his soul cry out. Why was he pushing her away again? _'She'll be safer if she doesn't associate with me...'_ She looked torn between saying something and remaining silent, and just as he was about to say something else, she smiled. Her lips pulled back into a smile, and her soul's aura dimmed, and the contrast of those two things made him want to reach out and grab her, to hold her.

"I'm sorry, but...I wasn't joking...but I understand." He sucked in a sharp breath as tears began to trail slowly down her freckled cheeks, and she seemed surprised by their presence, quickly raising her hands to wipe them away. "Ah, I'm...s-sorry, I don't..." Her smile widened even though her brows furrowed, and she took a step backward, toward the door, and it took all Sans had in him not to follow her. "I better get back...sorry to bother you." She stepped out and the door closed, and Sans hissed, hands raising to grip at his skull.

"Dammit." He was an idiot. For all of his scientific knowledge and background, he truly was an idiot. _"...And the person I love."_ He couldn't let himself believe it. It would only make protecting her that much harder. His soul cried out in agony as he felt her walking further and further away toward her own apartment, its light feeling dimmer and dimmer with each step she took.

* * *

Papyrus was no fool. Sure, he was innocent in some ways, and naive at times, but he wasn't blind, nor was he stupid. He knew that his brother tried to keep secrets from him, to 'protect him', but Papyrus loved his brother very dearly, and there was no one who knew Sans better. He could tell when he was hurting, and lonely, and afraid. He noticed how little Sans ate at times, and how he would come home from Grillby's drunk some nights. He noticed that Sans waited, intentionally, until Papyrus had gone to bed before getting up to eat, because Sans knew that he would notice. He took all of the lies and pretended not to know any better, because that was how Sans coped best until this point. He would go until he couldn't go anymore, and then he would cave and come to Papyrus for help, for comfort.

Except this time, things were far different.

He had noticed them, out on the balcony that night which felt like so long ago. He'd seen how his brother's eyes had shone with such pure adoration and longing as he stared so lovingly at the human's soul. Papyrus couldn't blame him; it truly was a beautiful soul. What he hadn't expected was the touch, the emotions that flickered across his brother's expression, the way Sans' soul had shone so brightly. His brother was in love, and Papyrus couldn't be happier.

What upset him, though, was the way that Sans went ahead and did something so intimate, and was now pushing the human away. It was hardly fair, Papyrus decided, to either of them, and he had an unusual amount of determination to get the two of them to realize their feelings for one another. And they had, finally, but he still had a nagging worry in the back of his mind that somehow, because of his brother's stubbornness, it would be all for naught.

That worry was confirmed when Lena reentered her apartment, teary eyed and smiling, and Papyrus felt his soul twist beneath his ribs at the heartbroken expression on her face. "I told him," she said simply, and he was quickly to stride forward, wrapping his arms around her just as she reached out for him, pressing her forehead against his sternum and trembling. A sigh escaped him as he raised a hand to gently pet her hair, trying to soothe her. Of course, leave it to Sans to be difficult in the process of 'doing what was best' for someone.

"He is the biggest bonehead..." he mumbled, and she gave a watery laugh, nodding against him slightly before pulling away. "Perhaps we should have another movie night! Human Frisk has been very eager to spend time with you, as have I, the Great Papyrus!" He tilted her chin up to gently wipe a glove-covered thumb beneath her eyelids, wiping away her tears and giving her a reassuring smile. "Do not give up hope, human!" He leaned forward and gently pressed his teeth to the top of her head in a pseudo-kiss, making an obnoxiously loud "MWAH" sound as he pulled away. Lena giggled, unable to help but smile. Papyrus truly was the best of friends. "WE SHALL COME OVER THIS WEEKEND! PREPARE FOR AN AMAZING MOVIE NIGHT EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE! MY BROTHER, FRISK, AND I SHALL BE HERE BY SIX!" With that he released his hold on her and strode out the door, feeling determination burning within his soul.

He believed in them, and there wasn't any way he was giving up just yet.


	26. Chapter 26

**[[ Brit here! And I wanted to take the time to thank you all for reading thus far. It means the world to me to see your comments, and it inspires and encourages me to continue writing for you. I love you guys so much! 3 Now, I got this chapter done today, and I was going to wait to post it, but I just couldn't wait. I'm so eager to see your reactions, so please, PLEASE, leave me a comment! PM me! Something! Let me know! I'm dying to know how it makes you feel! Now, prepare for more feels. ;) Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

It was an unseasonably warm day as Lena returned from her short walk to the convenience store, bags looped around her wrists holding a variety of different snacks. She'd tried to grab as many monster brands as she could find, filling her shopping basket with sodas and chips and candy. She'd even made an extra trip, picking up a dozen cinnamon bunnies because she remembered how much Frisk liked them. A thought of having a few herself had crossed her mind but, when she remembered how she'd had to squeeze into her jeans, bitterly decided to leave the snacks for Papyrus and Frisk. _'And Sans...'_ she thought, feeling a small ache in her chest, but she pushed past it. It wouldn't do any good to act all heartbroken tonight. She didn't want to lose a good friend. It was with those thoughts that she paused in the store, her eyes widening slightly as she spied an industrial-sized bottle of ketchup, complete with a push pump on top. She'd never spent so much on a single condiment in one store trip.

Once she made it back to her apartment, she struggled up the stairs with the heavy bags, grunting slightly and pausing once she reached the top step to lean against the wall. She struggled to lift her arm enough to reach her apartment door, arm trembling under the weight of the bags and under the exertion she put forward. She'd nearly made it, but her hand slipped over it, unable to grasp it. Sticking her tongue out slightly, she tried again, only to slip again. Sighing, she stepped back, prepared to set the bags down, when they suddenly felt much lighter. Taking the opportunity, she quickly reached and opened her apartment door, shoving it open and stepping in. She glanced down and felt a funny little flutter in her stomach as she noticed the faint blue aura surrounding the bags. _'Sans...?'_

"HUMAN, THERE YOU ARE! ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU WITH THOSE!" She was pulled from her thoughts when Papyrus' voice came from behind her, so suddenly that she jumped, and he quickly took the bags of of her arms. She rubbed her sore wrists, mumbling a grateful 'thank you' before turning to look out her door? No one was there. The faint smell of ozone lingered in the air, but she decided to ignore it. It wouldn't do to have her suddenly imagining things.

Just inside his bedroom door, Sans sighed, raising a hand to rub at his eyesockets wearily. He had it bad.

* * *

" _Can I have another soda?"_ A flurry of hand movements caught Lena's eye and she chuckled faintly, giving a small nod and watching as Frisk hopped up from the couch to run into the kitchen. They came back with an open bottle, already greedily drinking from it, and she laughed.

"Hey, careful now. You don't want an upset tummy!" she warned, ignoring the 'yes ma'am' she got in response as the sarcasm it was. Papyrus was sitting cross-legged on the couch next to her, practically squishing her into the couch, but she couldn't bring herself to mind it much. Papyrus had been far more affectionate than usual, and it helped the ache hurt just a little bit less. "Papy, do you need more milk?" she asked, glancing over at him and seeing his cup, once again, empty.

"IF IT IS NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE, YES!" he exclaimed. He sounded far too eager for just a glass of milk, and his smile was stretched just a little too wide. Raising a brow, she took his glass and pushed herself up from the couch, going into the kitchen to refill it. "BROTHER, DO NOT BALANCE POPATO CHISPS ON THE HUMAN'S HEAD!"

"Aw geez, bro, now I feel just _crummy_ ," Sans drawled, chuckling at his brother's screech of discontent. "No need to get _salty_ bro-"

"THAT IS ENOUGH OF THAT!" Lena giggled softly to herself as she tipped the gallon of milk, pouring a hefty amount into the cup before recapping it and putting it back into the fridge. She had just managed to return to the living room when Papyrus suddenly scooted over to the far side of the couch, opposite of the side Sans was on. Leaving only room for her to sit in the middle, between him and Sans. "I AM RELINQUISHING YOUR 'SITTING BY PAPYRUS' RIGHTS UNTIL I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU FOR YOUR AWFUL PUNS." A bead of sweat began to gather on Sans' skull but he shrugged, giving a tense chuckle. Papyrus took his glass from the human woman and pulled her to sit between them, and was it just her, or did he look pleased with himself?

" _Can we watch another movie now?"_ Frisk suddenly asked, and Papyrus nodded, spouting something about the wonders of Disney and telling the child to pick out another. They picked out Tarzan, a classic, as Lena commented, and she waited for Papyrus to get up to put the disk in...but he didn't. In fact, he seemed to be fully intent on remaining in his spot. Frisk put the disk in and tossed the remote to Papyrus with a small wink, who gave a wink in return, pressing 'play'.

Of course he'd had to pick Tarzan. Sans next to her scooted a little closer to his arm of the couch before leaning back, relaxing, and she tried not to feel hurt by the movement, pressing past it to grab a bag of popato chisps (wow, that was weird to say) for herself. She popped the bag open and grabbed a handful without thinking, before catching herself, releasing them and picking up only one to put in her mouth.

"Hey, kid, gimme one of those chips," Sans mumbled, reaching for the ones stacked on the child's head, but they darted away from him, chips remarkably remaining balanced on their head. He frowned slightly, raising a browbone in question. Frisk stuck their tongue out at him and scooted to sit in front of Papyrus. "'kay then..." Looking down at her bag, she hesitantly held it out to Sans, keeping her eyes firmly focused on the television. There was a long moment where he didn't move, and she felt stupid suddenly, holding a bag of chips out for someone who didn't want them. _'Not from me...'_ Her heart ached in her chest, but she was pulled from her thoughts when a hand suddenly reached into the bag. She heard a small mumbled 'thanks' and she smiled, setting the bag between them on the couch so they could reach easier.

The movie carried on, Papyrus and Frisk both completely entranced by the movie. Papyrus started trying to sing along, even though he didn't know the words, and Frisk shushed him with a frown. (There may or may not have been a pouting 'nyeh' that followed it.) Then the questions started.

"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, HUMAN. WHY IS IT SUCH A BIG DEAL THAT THE TARZAN HUMAN SPENDS TIME WITH THE JANE HUMAN AND HER WRINKLY FATHER?" he asked loudly, and Frisk rolled their eyes and gave a breathy huff as they settled back against the couch, apparently accepting the fact that hearing all of the movie was out of the question.

"Well, he was raised by the apes, and, to apes, humans are dangerous... So he's not supposed to want to be around her."

"BUT WHY? THAT SEEMS AWFULLY SILLY. WHO CARES IF SHE IS HUMAN?" Lena could faintly feel Sans stiffen from the other side of the couch, but when she looked over, he looked as if he'd fallen asleep.

"Well... I don't know," she admitted. "He doesn't care that she's human, but...he's trying to protect her, and his family..."

"HMMM... THAT SOUNDS AWFULLY SELFISH TO ME!" he said nonchalantly, but his eyes were glancing over at his brother, a bit of a smirk pulling up at the corners of his mouth as he saw Sans' browbone tick in irritation. "IF HE LIKES THE HUMAN JANE, THEN THE TARZAN HUMAN SHOULD JUST SAY SO AND NOT BE DIFFICULT!" Why did this suddenly seem to her like it wasn't so much about the movie anymore? She gave a nervous laugh and shrugged her shoulders, to which Papyrus gave a small hum. It wasn't really the company so much as the small vibe of passive-aggression in the air that started making her feel nervous. She reached a hand into the bag of chips, only to feel something warm and smooth against her fingertips. Sans ripped his hand out of the bag as if he'd just touched fire, sending chips flying everywhere.

"Ah..." She looked over at him, eyes widened in surprise. He was very pointedly not looking at her, and god, it hurt. Pulling a smile onto her face, she forced out a little laugh and folded her hands in her lap. "Sorry about that..." He frowned, pulling his hood up to hide his face, and she released a silent breath.

Right. Was this just how things were going to be from now on...? The heaviness in her chest twisted into something painful, and her smile widened as she stared at the television, eyes open and focused toward it without really seeing it.

After a while, Frisk and Papyrus both began to doze off, and Lena grabbed the remote from them and made the judicial decision that it was bedtime. They both whined and seemed very adamant to staying up with them, but she'd put her hands on her hips, giving them her best 'mom look', and they relented. After they'd gotten changed into their pajamas (Papyrus wearing a pair of footie jammies with bones printed on them, adorable), the taller skeleton strode over to her and gave her a big hug, planting another skeleton-kiss against the top of her head. His smile was bright but not entirely innocent as he followed Frisk into one of the guest rooms. As the door closed, she suddenly felt like she was out of place in her own home.

"Well, I'm going to bed... Goodnight." She headed into her room and only just barely caught the muttered 'goodnight' from Sans behind her. Her door closed and she sighed, letting her head fall slightly as she gripped tightly at the hem of her shirt. _'This is just how things are gonna be from now on, I guess...'_ She changed into a nightgown and crawled into bed, closing her eyes tightly and praying for a dreamless sleep.

Her door closed, and Sans sighed heavily, his eyesockets prying open as another wave of pain crashed over his soul. He shouldn't have come. If Papyrus hadn't been acting so strangely and insisted, he wouldn't have.

" _YOU ARE COMING TO THE HUMAN'S SLEEPOVER TONIGHT! YOU HAVE BEEN AVOIDING ME ENOUGH AS OF LATE, I THINK, AND I WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH MY BROTHER."_

That had hurt. A lot. It wasn't as if the words weren't true, though, which only made him feel worse. But then, as the night had progressed, he'd started to see what Papyrus was actually doing. Stealing her spot so she had to sit next to him; Frisk picking the movie they did; him giving her that kiss on the head. His chest ached as he remembered how ridiculously jealous he'd felt. But he wasn't, because he had nothing to be jealous of. It wasn't like she belonged to him. He was just being foolish.

Closing his eyes tightly, he took in a deep, slow breath, trying to calm the chaos in his soul. Sleep... Maybe going to sleep would help. Get away from the thoughts and the feelings and just...drift away.

Yeah...that sounded like a good idea...

* * *

" _...ans?"_

" _...Sans?"_

" _Sans! Wake up!"_

 _His eyes snapped open and he saw Lena, hovering over his bedside, a smile on her face. A smile like the one she used to have. He felt his soul flutter in his chest and he couldn't help but return it. "Sans, you bonehead, you've slept through breakfast! How can you sleep so much?"_

" _Heh...Sorry. Guess I'm so good at it, I can even do it with my eyes closed." She giggled and rolled her eyes at him, her smile widening._

" _Well, come on. I've gone ahead and made lunch, so you might as well get up and eat." She stood and held a hand out to him, offering to help him up. He reached up to take her hand, but instead gave a quick tug on her arm, sending her falling down onto the bed next to him. Her eyes widened in surprise before she laughed, throwing her arms around his neck as his slid around her waist. "Whatever happened to eating lunch, Sans? You can't stay in bed all day..." He leaned forward and nuzzled against her neck, her shoulder, fingers digging into her waist, and she made a small noise of question. "Sans?"_

" _Just...let me have this, for right now..." She huffed a sigh and rolled her eyes but relented, allowing him to hold her. After a few moments, there was a knock on the door, and Sans groaned as she tried to pull away. "It's not important..." he insisted, but she shook her head, getting up._

" _I'll just be a minute, whiny-bones! Be right back~" She blew him a kiss and closed her bedroom door- or was it his bedroom door? He couldn't tell. The room was familiar, but also not. It was so...non-descript, that he knew it was a dream. It had to have been. Things like this only ever happened in his dreams, afterall. Where they could be together and happy, and she was safe, and he wasn't constantly fucking things up. Hopefully he wouldn't wake up before she got back._

 _...Except that, as the minutes dragged by, she didn't come back. Frowning, he called out for her, and he heard shuffling outside the door. He pushed himself into a sitting position, about to get up to go look for her, when the door opened, and Lena re-entered, smiling._

" _Sorry about that, you were right. It wasn't important," she said, her grin widening, and he felt himself settle as she returned to bed, snuggling up against his side. He draped his arm around her and pulled her close, sighing contentedly. They stayed that way for a good long while, and Sans almost dozed off (can you sleep in a dream?) when sudden movement from beside him shook him awake. She'd climbed atop him, her leg thrown over his pelvis so she was straddling him, smiling, eyes half-lidded in an expression that was difficult to place. His face flushed a deep blue and he chuckled, hands hovering over her thighs and waist as he tried to think of where to place them._

" _What's up...? Somethin' eatin' at ya?"_

" _Oh...yes...you could say that..." she mumbled softly, eyes narrowing and grin widening. "Perhaps you'd like to take a_ _ **stab at it**_ _?" The gleam of a knife came from behind her back, and Sans narrowly managed to roll out from under her in time to avoid the blow. The blade sunk deep into the mattress, and she sighed. Inside his chest his soul hammered with fear, confusion, betrayal._

" _Lena, what the fuck?! What're you doing?!" he shouted, his one, glowing blue eyelight flickering between her face and the knife. Her lips spread into a cruel grin, and it was only in that moment that he realized her eyes. Emeralds were not supposed to turn to rubies, not in his dreams. Only in his_ _ **nightmares**_ _._

" _ **Are you really surprised, smiley trash-bag? I told you! The barrier is broken! What's to stop me from finding you~?**_ _" she- no,_ _ **they**_ _asked, giggling as they watched him back away, eyesockets wide with fear._

" _No... No no no no no nonono..."_

" _ **You can deny it all you want. Face it! Everyone you love will be hurt eventually, so long as you are around them, plaguing them with your worthless existance.**_ _" The words cut deeper than any knife, and he flinched physically from their blow. "_ _ **All you do is taint and destroy the things you touch. Even her! Her soul was so weak from your betrayal that I was able to take over her so easily!**_ _"_

" _This... This is a nightmare. This isn't real! She's not!"_

" _ **When will you learn, you idiot?**_ _" Chara/Lena approached, and he found his body frozen, unable to move. The knife was raised over their head, the face he so loved morphing into a grotesque expression of blood lust, evil, cruel, dark. "_ _ **Your existance is a nightmare. Now... DIE!**_ _"_

* * *

Lena stared up at her ceiling, blinking in confusion for a moment. She was awake. Why was she awake? She turned onto her side, curling up and pulling her knees to her chest as she clung to her pillow, breathing out a sigh. It wasn't anything new. She'd been having trouble sleeping a lot lately...not that she ever told anyone. Toriel had noticed, and Papyrus had been more pushy towards her taking naps (which was strange for him), but it was just something that she had to deal with. Most nights, it was because she woke up from a dream about a certain someone, and she would lie awake for hours, thinking.

Thinking was the worst, particularly during the midnight hours.

A soft noise caught her attention and she glanced towards the door, seeing a blue and yellow light flickering underneath the gap of the door. _'Maybe Sans forgot to turn the television off...'_ she wondered, throwing the blankets off of herself and slipping off of her bed, padding quietly across her carpet to open her door. The living room was dark, save for the flickering light, which wasn't coming from the TV, but from...the guest room? She frowned, pausing as she debated between going back to bed or not, when a small noise caught her attention.

" _No_..."

' _Sans..?'_ Feeling her chest clench nervously, she stepped closer to the door, raising a hand to knock, when a sound she'd never heard before startled her. A scream, piercing and loud, cut through the air like a knife, and she flinched away from the door. That made up her mind for her. She pushed the door open and stumbled into the guest bedroom, and her eyes widened at what she saw. Sans was thrashing against the mattress, blankets all a tangled mess, sweat soaking through every bit of clothing he had on. His left eye, though closed, was emitting a bright blue and gold light, flashing quickly between the two, and it was almost too much for her to even look at. It hurt her eyes, and she squinted against it. His spine was arched so far off the bed that she thought it would break, and his fingers tore through the blankets as he grabbed at something, anything to hold onto. "Sans!" She rushed forward, hovering just at his side, unsure of what to do. Steeling herself, she reached out and shook his shoulder, but he gave no reaction. He jerked away from her hands, and his teeth ground together so roughly as he groaned out in such pain that it sounded like they would crack. She climbed onto the bed beside him and grabbed his shoulders, giving him a rough shake, desperate to wake him. "Sans!"

His eyes shot open, then they narrowed, and the last thing she saw was a flash of blue. She felt her soul being tugged violently from her chest, then she found herself flying towards the furthest wall. She crashed into it, the drywall cracking, and she collapsed into a heap against the dresser, completely limp.

"You think you can hurt them? **Well think again** ," he growled, such a deep, terrifying sound that she trembled, struggling to lift her head to look at him. His body was surrounded by an ethereal blue glow, his mouth opened as he snarled. Her soul fell to the ground, and her body quickly followed. It was as if the gravity was increased suddenly, sending her forcibly to the ground. Her cheek ground against the carpet and her eyes watered from the pain. And the fear...but it wasn't for herself. No, she was worried about him, waking up and realizing what he was doing. She had to wake him up.

"S-Sans...!" Her voice was difficult to grasp, air pulled more sluggishly into her lungs from the pressure being exerted upon her body. "P-please... Sans!" He stiffened, as if an electric current had just been run through his body, and for a long while he stood there, frozen. The magic slowly began to lessen until, finally, he opened his eyes. The blue and gold iris in his left eye snapped out of existance, and the familiar soft white eyelights reappeared, and they widened as he looked at her. The pressure immediately lifted, and she gasped, pulling in a breath.

"Oh f-fuck... Lena, I... Sh-shit..." He looked terrified, and so, so remorseful. He was staring not at her, but at the ground right in front of her, and when her eyes followed his, she could see why. Her soul was still laying there, outside of her body, a deep blue color instead of its usual green. He stumbled forward, reaching out for her, but then jerked back, as if afraid to touch her. "I-I didn't mean it-" She nodded and struggled to sit up, leaning against the dresser she'd very nearly toppled over. Her back screamed in pain against the action, but she ignored it. He looked unsure of what to do, torn between running and grabbing her.

"BROTHER, WHAT IS THE MATTER-?!" Papyrus suddenly stormed into the room and, when he saw the state the two of them were in, his eyesockets widened. Sans looked up at him desperately.

"I-It was an accident, bro. I-I had a nightmare, a-and-"

"WELL?" Sans blinked, startled at being interrupted, and confused. "YOU DROPPED IT, SANS," Papyrus said shortly, pointing at the human's soul, a suddenly stern expression on his face. "YOU DROPPED IT, SO PICK IT UP." Sans flinched, glancing back at Lena and her fallen soul, and he closed his eyes tightly, shoulders shaking. "PICK. IT. UP." The tone of voice was so authoritative, it was surprising coming from him; Lena tried to open her mouth to say it was okay, but she couldn't. With that said, Papyrus turned on the heel of his footie pajamas and closed the door behind him, and they could hear him return to the room he shared with Frisk.

"I'm...I'm sorry," the shorter skeleton mumbled, browbones furrowed deeply and his usual smile turned down into a grimace. "This...heh. This is the kinda shit I'm tryin' to protect you from... I'm nothin' but trouble." After a moment, he reached his trembling hands out, tentatively, scooping up the soul in his hands. His body jerked violently and he held onto it tightly as a ragged breath was torn from his nonexistant lungs.

He really was an idiot, wasn't he?

Even battered, even abandoned, brushed off, she still had so much love in her soul. Even if there was more pain on the surface than he remembered before, even if it was dimmer, even if it was blue now, he could feel it. The amount of warmth and comfort that reached out from the depths of her soul, trying to reach his own. He could feel how she felt, all of those times he avoided her, all those times he ignored her. He could feel her pain, but even in that, there was love. _'I don't deserve this.'_ He pulled the soul close to his chest, cradling it against his rib cage, and it felt so _right_. The amount of longing, of painful yearning that had filled his soul, felt lessened like this. By being around her, he felt better. He had hurt her so many times trying to keep her safe from something that she didn't need protection from in the first place.

"I'm a f-fucking idiot," he muttered, voice breaking halfway through, and he didn't realize that he was crying until he felt her hands reaching out to wipe at his cheekbones.

"Bonehead..." she murmured, and the burst of warmth he felt from her soul made him release a shuddery sigh, one that tried to turn into a laugh in the middle. "I'm...I'm sorry-"

"Don't," he said suddenly, holding her soul close with one hand while he reached forward with the other, looping his arm around her neck and pulling her into him. He could feel her surprise from the way her soul shuddered a little in his palm, but then there was more warmth, and everything felt okay the moment she gripped at his sweat-soaked shirt, trying to pull herself even closer. "...Did ya mean what you said before?" His voice was suddenly so small and hesitant, and even though he knew the answer, he needed to hear it. She rested her forehead against his cervical vertebrae and tightened her grip on him, fingers digging into his ribs slightly.

"I did. I... I care a lot about you, Sans." A soul fluttered, and he couldn't tell if it was hers or his own, or both. She seemed like she was crying, and maybe it was because of the fact that he was touching her soul, but it felt like more than that.

"...Knock knock." She made a small, confused sound, but he said nothing.

"Who's there?"

"Olive."

"...Olive who?"

He pulled her back and gently touched his teeth to her lips in the closest thing to a kiss he could manage. "...Olive you."

A burst of green and gold light spread out from her soul, and it pressed more earnestly against his chest, reaching out. His own soul was trying to do the same, but he kept it in check as he gently urged her soul to return to her body. It moved into her chest until it disappeared from view, the light fading to a soft green glow before vanishing completely, leaving the room in darkness.

"Was that...a kiss?" came the innocent question, and his cheekbones suddenly burned with a light blue glow. He gave a shrug of his shoulders, releasing his hold on her and instead reaching to grab her hand.

"Don't got lips. Sorry, that's the best I got..." She gave his hand a small squeeze and leaned forward to press another kiss to his cheek, and the glow there brightened the slightest bit.

"It was perfect." He chuckled awkwardly, raising his free hand to rub the tears from his eyesockets. She was giving him the warmest smile he'd ever seen, and his soul fluttered madly in his chest as he was compelled to return it.

"YOU HAD TO RUIN IT WITH A PUN. SANS, I AM DISAPPOINTED IN YOU." The two stiffened as Papyrus opened the door, poking his skull in and giving Sans a disapproving look. The older brother blushed more brightly, looking torn between telling him to get out and trying to play it cool.

"Aw, c'mon bro, I was just tryin' to be affect _pun_ ate-"

"YOU CANNOT JUST INSERT THE WORD 'PUN' INTO THE MIDDLE OF ANOTHER WORD! THAT IS NOT A JOKE! THAT IS STUPID!" A snort broke the banter between the two, and the skeleton brothers turned to look at Lena, who was holding her sides and laughing. The smile on her face was so untied, so unfiltered, and the happiness radiating from her soul in light green waves was as gentle and bright as the ocean waves. Sans found himself staring, and Papyrus took the opportunity to slip out of the room again.

* * *

 _ **"And when her smile came back,  
And I didn't feel half as horrible  
She gave me a heart attack  
Because she looked so adorable..."**_

 _ **-** Sunburn, by Owl City_

* * *

Sans was never very good at green magic, but Papyrus had gone back to bed, apparently, and so he sat there, struggling to get a grasp on the healing magic he very rarely ever had the practice to use. Lena was laid spread out on her stomach on his newly changed sheets, and as he pulled her shirt up the slightest bit to look at her back, he hissed. There were already angry-looking purple and red bruises forming underneath her skin. His eyelights faded into darkness and he gripped at the blanket, staring at it and feeling his soul ache with guilt. _'All I did was hurt her... Fuck. Is this gonna happen again? What if-'_ His thoughts were put to a stop when she reached back and laid a hand on his, and it immediately loosened its grip, relaxing.

"It's okay," she said softly, and he sighed, leaning down and pressing an apologetic skeleton kiss to her lower back. She flinched slightly from it and buried her face in the blankets, and he pulled away immediately, afraid he'd hurt her again.

"Alright, I'm not the greatest with healing magic...so, sorry if I suck," he grumbled, holding his hands out over her back, hovering just above it.

"Hey, you haven't even tried yet. _Hoover_ you to say you _suck_?" He snorted and felt a smile creep up on his face. How was she able to soothe him so easily? He carefully placed his hands on her back, and she arched her back slightly, making a small sound of protest. "Your hands are _cold_." Chuckling, he closed his eyes and tried to focus on his magic.

"Sorry, babe, but I'm sure it won't _chill_ ya." The use of the nickname made her freckled cheeks flush a light red, and she turned her neck to glance back at him, blinking. He seemed to then realize what he said, too, as a light blue flush appeared just over his cheekbones. "Lay still, 'm havin' to concentrate a lot to do this." She nodded and laid back down, and he released a slow breath. For a few moments, there was nothing, and he started to feel frustrated by his lack of control over green magic. But then he felt her soul reaching out to him, calling out to him, and suddenly his hands began to glow a faint green. The bruises slowly began to fade in color, and he could tell it was working because of the way she relaxed into the mattress. "That should do it. How do you feel...?" he asked, feeling a small spike of guilt when she winced as she turned over to sit up.

"Just a little sore. I'll be okay, though." He stared down at his hands, frowning slightly, and she reached out to grasp his cheeks, turning his head up to look at her. "Okay? I already forgave you, Sans. It's okay." He drew in a short breath and grinned, leaning forward and hesitantly wrapping his arms around her in a more proper hug.

"Thanks..." She leaned into him, and stars, the way his soul soared when she did. He wondered why he ever tried to deny himself this.

"So...are you okay?" she asked hesitantly, and he was confused for a moment, before he remembered the thing that had caused the whole ordeal. The look on his face must have told her something, because she pulled away and gently grasped his hand. "Do you wanna talk about it..?" He grunted quietly, shaking his head.

"Nah, not really... Just wanna go back to sleep, actually," he said, mid-yawn, and she blinked in surprise as his jaw opened comically wide as he did so. "You should probably go to sleep, too."

"Um..." He raised a browbone at her, questioning. "Can...I sleep in here?" she asked shyly, subconsciously squeezing his hand. His eyesockets widened and he glanced away from her, raising his free hand to scratch at the back of his skull.

"I mean...if you want?" Her smile was all the answer he needed, and she immediately burrowed beneath the blankets, poking her head out, and he couldn't help but chuckle. His human was the most adorable. He climbed under after her, laying awkwardly on his side and staring at her for a moment as she tried to get comfortable. She looked up at him and, shyly, he held his arms open. She immediately scooted closer as he tucked one arm under the pillow beneath their heads, his other arm draping across her waist over the blankets.

"Goodnight, bonehead." She nuzzled her forehead against his sternum and his face practically glowed, chuckling as he pulled her a little bit closer.

"... G'night, babe."

* * *

 **[[ AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now the fun shall commence. I've been squirming and so eager to write the two of them being affectionate and adorable. The fluff is coming. Prepare yourselves to be buried in it. Ahhhhhh 3 Love you guys! ]]**

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	27. Chapter 27

**[[ Okay guys, this is it. Here begins the floofy fluffs! I warned you, and it's happening. Starting from here things will start getting sexual on occasion. Not in this chapter! But eventually! I'll try and make it all as skippable as possible, though, for those of you who'd rather not partake. In this chapter you'll find Papyrus being a shit, and a lot of exploration. Lots of lovey poetic crap, as well as Sappy Sans. I apologize in advance, and I hope you enjoy! 3333 ]]**

* * *

When Papyrus opens his eyes to look at the clock on the bedside table that morning, he'd been surprised to find that he'd slept in. An entire hour and a half, at that! His lazybones brother's behavior was beginning to affect him! He'd have to spend a few extra hours at the gym with Undyne to try and make up for it. Papyrus glanced down and saw that Frisk was sprawled out next to him, their hair going every which-way, and the skeleton had to stifle a giggle. To quote the great, powerful and wise Temmie: _'Hoomans! Such a...CUTE?!'_ He reached out and pat the child's head before getting up, being sure to tuck the blankets back around the sleeping Frisk before he left his room.

The night had been eventful and stressful, that was certain. A part of him had been worried that all of his planning would have been for naught, that the small chance of failure would wind up splitting the two so far apart that their relationship would be irreparably damaged. But if there was one thing Papyrus had, it was hope, and he had hope that his brother would make things right. He hadn't been disappointed. He'd heard the loud banging and shouting voices, and it had been a wonder that Frisk didn't wake up. He hadn't expected for Sans to attack her, and Papyrus felt guilty for not warning her about his nightmares sooner. It had turned out to be just the thing, though, because his bonehead of a brother had finally fessed up to his feelings, and all was right with the world.

He got dressed in his battle body, gloves, and boots, straightening his red scarf in the mirror before exiting the guest room he'd stayed in. It wasn't expected for anyone to be up, but when he came out and saw the living room empty, he huffed a small sigh. Everyone was so lethargic. Maybe making a good breakfast for them would help! Grinning, he turned on his heel and walked back to the hallway, raising a hand to knock on Lena's bedroom door. The sound was softer, muffled by his gloves, and after a moment of no response, he decided to carefully poke his head in and ask the human what she wanted for breakfast. Papyrus truly was the most thoughtful of friends! So he did just that, turning the knob and opening the door just enough to glance in, but was surprised to find her bed empty. Frowning, he turned and closed the door behind him. _'Where on earth could the human have gone off to at such an early hour? I did not even hear her leave!'_ Perhaps his brother knew. He walked the few short steps across the hallway and pulled his brother's door open, opening his mouth to speak, but his voice caught in his non-existant throat.

Lena was curled up against his brother's chest, arms tucked up to her chest between them, fingers curling loosely into the fabric of his shirt. Sans had his arm thrown over her, a look of peace on his face that Papyrus had not seen in what felt like a very, very long time. The taller skeleton smiled widely, biting back a laugh of absolute delight. His plan had worked, and even better than he had expected! He may or may not have pulled out his phone and snapped a few quick photos before he closed the door as quietly as he could behind him, not wanting to disturb them. Frisk appeared in the hallway just as he got the door closed, and he pulled the human child over to the kitchen, giving a giddy 'nyeh' as he pulled out his phone and showed the pictures to them. Their face lit up and they gave a breathless giggle, covering their mouth with their hands. They had been victorious.

Breakfast was a simple affair of scrambled eggs on toast, and though it wasn't as good as spaghetti, Papyrus was fairly proud of how it turned out. He and Frisk ate quietly, cleaned up, and the skeleton helped the child into their coat before they left the apartment. "WE SHALL ASK HER MAJESTY IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO GO SHOPPING WITH US!" Frisk nodded excitedly, signing quickly, and Papyrus was laughing a hearty "NYEH HEH HEH" before they even finished. "OF COURSE WE WILL BE SHOWING HER! IT IS SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATION!"

"What is worth celebration?" Toriel's voice suddenly came from the stairs leading up to the apartment and Frisk grinned, hands a flurry of movement as they signed. "What on earth are you speaking of, my child?" Papyrus giggled excitedly and pulled out his phone, practically shoving it into the queen's face in his eagerness to show her the pictures. She leaned back reflexively for a split second, until she saw the picture. Then she was grabbing at the phone with wide eyes, an ecstatic grin spread across her face. "Oh my stars- ...They are positively _adorable_!" she cooed, touching a paw to her cheek as she looked over the photo fondly. "It is about time the two of them got their act together, is it not?"

"I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS! I AM THE ONE! YES! THANK YOU!" Papyrus took a gracious bow as Frisk clapped, and Toriel gave a small roll of her eyes, giggling at their antics. "I WILL MAKE MY SPECIAL CELEBRATION SPAGHETTI TONIGHT! AND I'LL HAVE TO INVITE UNDYNE AND ALPHYS AND METTATON AND-"

"Dear, forgive me for interrupting, but maybe we can hold off on that for now..." Papyrus cocked his head and frowned a bit.

"WHAT FOR?" The queen shook her head and smiled. Papyrus really was a sweet-heart, and his soul was in the right place for it, but...

"Well... It might embarrass them, dearie. Perhaps it would be best if we give them time to 'settle in' before we celebrate?" She was by no means saying not to. In fact, she had every intention of teasing Sans (all in good fun, of course!) until she was blue in the face- or, at least, until he was!

* * *

Most of the clothing Sans owned was blue, but he was beginning to think that green was trying to become his favorite color. Not just one shade of green, either, but all of them. The vibrant, sunny green of freshly-cut grass in the summertime. The more muted, mossy green of the earth underneath the trees. The deep, earthy green of the leaves on oak trees. The soft, pale green of sprouting buds at the beginning of spring. The bottomless, powerful green of emeralds. These, along with the bright golden sunlight of yellow, were all of the colors that made up her soul. He saw it last night, watched up close and intimately as the blue of his magic faded from it and the colors burst forth, its light so bright that it cast dancing shadows along the walls around them. The warmth of her soul's aura felt just like a breeze, like the first gust of fresh air he'd felt on his face after leaving the Underground. It was just as freeing and empowering as that very moment.

What in stars' name had he done to possibly deserve such a soul?

' _And not just the soul...'_ he thought to himself, pearly whites of his eyelights gazing at her face, feeling his own soul swell with adoration within his ribs. He had never found humans to be all that remarkable before. Maybe it was the abrasive behavior of most of the ones he'd met, or maybe it was because of the species difference. It was hard to tell, but what wasn't hard to tell was that he was unmistakably enraptured by this human. This one in particular, who somehow managed to get him to lower his guard and open up his mind to her. She probably wasn't much, by human standards; hell, humans seemed to like going out of their way to talk badly about her, at times. But, to him, she was the single most stunning person in existence. The light shifted softly across her face and, for whatever reason, his soul felt a powerful urge to examine. Maybe it was the scientist in him.

He allowed his eyelights to trail across her face gently, taking in her features. The soft arch of her nose, and how it was slightly round at the end, looking a bit like a little button. _'Heh, cute...'_ he mused, and his eyes immediately took notice of all the little tiny freckles. There was a healthy smattering of them across her nose and cheekbones, like someone had messily sprayed paint across her skin. He'd wondered about that very thing the first time he saw her but, after every time seeing her after and seeing that they were still very much in place, assumed it was just something human skin did. Like scars, or moles, or other birth marks, little flaws on her pale skin, but they were remarkable. He felt rather silly for thinking of the stars, and even more so as he slowly began to wonder if they could connect into their own unique constellations, as well. The attention drew slowly from her freckles to her cheeks, which his eyes were currently focused on. They were a bit rounder than many humans he saw, but they were perfect; soft, smooth, and they held the magic of turning the most beautiful shade of red when she got embarrassed. It took a lot for him to ever like the color red again, but, seeing it on her, he felt like he could fall in love with it.

Her eyelashes were so long, and they looked soft. He wondered if they were as soft as they looked, like the edges of a downy feather. The last lines of defense for her eyes, which he couldn't see behind the pale eyelids, but he knew were there. He suddenly wished she were awake just so he could look at them, fully and properly this time, without having to worry about getting caught. He wondered if her eyes looked just like her soul. Humans had a saying, that the eyes were the windows to the soul. It was only fitting, then that such a beautiful soul had such beautiful windows. They were round and wide, not too much so, but enough to give her a look of innocence that made his soul want to reach out and cradle hers, protect it from anything that dared try to harm it. His eyelights flickered up to her eyebrows, which twitched slightly as she stirred in her sleep, and he froze, holding his breath with lungs he didn't have as he waited to see if she was going to wake up. She didn't, but her arms curled up a little closer to her chest, her right hand resting on the pillow just next to her face. Her lips parted in a small sigh and, stars, he was suddenly captivated by her lips. They looked smooth, flawless, the perfect shade of pink to compliment her skin tone (at least in his opinion), and his cheeks suddenly lit with a faint blue blush as he realized that he had kissed those very lips. He only mourned a little bit as he wondered what it would've been like if he'd had lips of his own.

Her fingers curled into a gentle fist against the pillow by her face, and he reached out before he even thought, slowly easing her fingers until they were out straight so he could examine them. Here he noticed a few of their small differences, and though he wasn't surprised by them, he still found them all the more interesting. Whereas the bones that made up his hands were wide and built closely together, hers were thinner, and longer. His hand was all bone, but they fit together in such a way that it formed a solid hand. But hers... He carefully slid his right arm out from underneath the pillow, being sure not to jostle her too much to risk waking her, and slid his hand underneath hers. It was warm, and where his hand was solid and unyielding, hers was soft, yet he could still feel the solidness of her fragile bones beneath the layers of skin and flesh. Intriguing. Holding her hand with one, he raised his left hand to touch gently at the tips of each of her fingers, starting from her pinky before slowly working toward her thumb. He could feel the pointed distal phalanx under the very tip of her fingers. He then moved downward just a bit, feeling her knuckle where the different bones met, moving on to her intermediate phalanx and, moving past another knuckle, the proximal phalanx. They felt so thin, and he wondered how on earth such tiny bones could carry all he'd seen her carry. His mind went immediately to how she carried every single grocery bag on her wrists, and he flinched, imagining these fragile bones snapping under that weight. The thought made him shiver, and he shoved it away, far preferring to continue his 'examination'. Carefully and curiously, he lifted her hand just a bit and moved her index finger, making it bend in a curling motion, watching the fluidity of her joints making the bones move together, then straightening it again. It was fascinating to think that, deep down, she was much the same as him, minus all of the magic. He ran the fingertips of his left hand across her metacarpals, feeling their ridges, and paused to brush his thumb across her pisiform bone, one of the eight carpal bones that made up her wrist. It was the most obvious, a small bump under the skin, and as he sat rubbing his thumb around it in small circular motions, tracing it, he noticed her skin beginning to react.

Small bumps began to erupt across the skin on her arm, and the tiny hairs along the back of her arm stood up. Surprised by the reaction, he slid his fingertips along her arm, feeling the soft brush of the hairs against his bones. She gave a small shiver in her sleep and he chuckled, pulling his hand back and continuing his mental inventory of bones. He was to the arm now. Carefully, he poked and prodded a few inches below her wrist, trying to feel the bones. He could feel the outermost ridge of her ulna, but the radius was evading him. The muscle and tissue was too thick to feel easily, and if he pressed too much harder, she was sure to wake. Frowning a bit, he moved to grasp her wrist, hoping to feel it better from the underside of her arm. He paused, feeling a strange sensation against his thumb, and gently turned her arm so that her hand was palm-up on the pillow. His index finger pressed gently against the spot again and, after a few minutes of careful searching, found it. The soft thrumming of her pulse against his bony fingertip made his eyes widen. He was feeling her heart. It was a simple biological fact that all he was feeling was the push of flowing blood through a vein, but something about it felt so profound. Her heart was, to humans, the center of her being, and it made sense. They didn't know about souls, and the heart was one of the most essential organs to survival for a human. If you stab a human through the heart, they die. If you break a human's heart, you break them. They just didn't realize that the 'heart' they're talking about there is actually their 'soul'.

Sans had seen her heart being broken. His soul ached dully at the memory of the grayish green glow of her aura. It was less a memory since it had only been a matter of hours since then. A part of himself wanted to hate himself for doing that to her. _'But,'_ he reminded himself, _'I also made it brighter than ever...'_ It was terrifying to him, just how much power he had over her very soul. He didn't want to fuck it all up and ruin everything. The finger that was rested against her wrist pulled away, and he slid his hand down along her arm, trying to calm the goosebumps that had broken out over her flesh. His palm ran down along her forearm to her elbow, then up to her shoulder, following the gentle dip and curve of her clavicle to her sternum. His index finger ran along it gently, stopping when he was nudging at the top of her nightgown. An azure blush burned his cheekbones and he quickly pulled his hand away, moving it back up to her neck. He wondered how many vertebrae she had, or if they were the same as his own, when his fingertip brushed against another pulse, this one much stronger. Curiously, he pressed his index and middle fingers to it, closing his eyes and just _feeling_ it, and he found himself trying to sync his magic's ebb and flow with it.

She drew in a slow breath and his eyes widened, quickly pulling his hand away a bit and looking over her face, seeing her lips turned upward into a contented smile. And oh, the funny little things it did to his soul. He loved this girl too damn much.

He leaned his head forward, forehead practically resting against her manubrium at the top of her sternum as he just listened. The small whooshing sounds of air being pulled into her lungs, then exhaled. He kept his breathing in time with hers, watching the expanding and shrinking of her rib cage beneath her nightgown. His eyes lingered on her chest, eyelights trailing along the top swell of her breast as it peeked from the top of her gown. There was a faint movement there, and, after a moment of watching, realized that it was her heart. It thudded so strongly against her ribs that he could see it _from the outside_. Humans really were amazing.

' _...Well,_ _ **my**_ _human, anyway.'_ A fond smile passed over his face, and he watched as her chest lifted faintly and she drew in a short breath. He found himself, once again, intrigued. Having lungs wasn't something he was familiar with, but breathing was something he still did. Not that his body needed it, more like a habit after spending so much time with other monsters who did. He allowed his forehead to touch, resting against her, and he closed his eyes, feeling contented. It wasn't until he felt the gentle thrum of her heartbeat quicken that he opened them again, slowly pulling back and staring right into eyes, and he lost himself in them. They were wide, the green color standing out so much more because of how red her cheeks were. There was a mixture of different shades; a dark forest green lined her pupil and outer edge of her iris, while the middle was mixed with emerald greens and little bits of mossy and mint green here and there. Then, right near the center, there were little flecks of gold, difficult to see unless you were close. And he was definitely close. Her breath was washing over the lower half of his face, and he noticed that it was quicker than it normally was. Why, though?

He didn't seem to fully realize she was actually awake until right then. His cheekbones flared with his blush, a glowing shade of cyan that cast a faint hue across her own face, reflecting his embarrassed expression back at him to taunt him. With one swift moment he pulled himself away, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and getting to his feet. He started walking around the bed and toward the front door without even missing a beat. "Mornin'," he mumbled sleepily, though he wasn't nearly as tired as he made himself sound. No, he was definitely wide awake right now. He stopped at the door and gave her a little grin over his shoulder, which seemed to make her relax.

"Good morning... Um, d-did you sleep well?" she asked, still obviously shaken and trying to overcome her embarrassment. Stars, why did she look so much cuter with her face all lit up like that? He...actually had slept well. Incredibly well, considering the night's stressful events. It was the best night's sleep he'd gotten in a long time. Instead of answering, though, he just shrugged, and she gave a small laugh. "I did... I never thought a skeleton would be comfortable, but, hey." His expression faltered slightly at that, feeling his soul flutter at the...compliment? Did that qualify as a compliment? He didn't really know.

"Nah, 's just the clothes. Skeleton's aren't really that comfortable, no _bones_ about it," he said casually, and he wandered out into the living room and toward the kitchen. She followed after him, feet padding across the carpet quietly, and she gave a small snort at his pun.

"I feel like that may be a _blanket statement_ ," she said, brushing past him to the kitchen and going straight for the fridge, opening it up to look inside. "I wonder where Papyrus and Frisk went..." Sans frowned slightly. He hadn't even thought of that. _'Why hadn't I thought to find that out yet?'_ He pulled out his phone quickly, intending to send his brother a text, but saw that there was already two waiting for him.

| **Papyrus** : GOOD MORNING BROTHER! THE HUMAN FRISK AND I HAVE GONE OUT WITH HER MAJESTY FOR THE DAY! PLEASE BEHAVE AND DO NOT CAUSE LENA ANY MORE TROUBLE. AND WORRY NOT! FOR I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR AWFUL PUNS LAST NIGHT! (ALSO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND WITH ANY PUNS. I AM IN PUBLIC.) |

As if he could refuse. He quickly typed out a message, hitting send just as a shit-eating grin spread wide across his face.

| **sans** : * sure, and hey. make sure not to fall into any immoral bodies of water. |

| **sans** : * 'd hate for my bro to be caught and get arrested for public in-de-sin-sea |

His phone immediately buzzed in his hands as a new message from his brother popped up, and he leaned against the wall as he doubled over laughing.

| **Papyrus** : YOU ARE OFFICIALLY UNFORGIVEN SANS! |

He could practically hear his brother's indignant screech, could see his eyes bugging out as he tried to cover up ears he didn't have, and it sent a whole new wave of laughter through him. Lena curiously poked her head over his shoulder to look at his phone and, when he held it out for her to read it, she just gave him a level stare.

"Wooooooooow..." She shook her head and walked off, which did little for him composing himself. It took him a few minutes to regain control over his giggles, and when he did, he had to wipe a tear from the corner of his eyesocket, and he was wheezing. _'My bro's the coolest.'_ Giving a fond chuckle, he opened up the second message.

| **Toriel** : ; ];-) |

Frowning slightly, he clicked on and opened the attached photos, curiosity winning out. He immediately wished he hadn't. His entire skull was covered with a blue flush as he found himself staring at pictures of him and Lena...and he was most definitely being pretty fucking cuddly. Embarrassingly so. _'Tori came in and took pictures?! What the hell? No...'_ His eyesockets narrowed. _'Papyrus.'_ He was going to send him soooo many puns. Not just through text, but on Undernet, too.

"What's up, Sans?" Lena's voice suddenly behind him startled him, and he stumbled away, flailing an arm as he frantically mashed his thumb on his phone's 'back' button.

"What?! Uhh hey! Mind makin' us breakfast? I'm starved! Look!" He pulled up his shirt a bit to expose his spine and ribs, giving a nervous grin. "Nothin' but bones!" Wherever the hell his cool facade had gone, it needed to come right the fuck back and help him out of this mess. Like, now.

"Ohhh...kay..." Lena said slowly, drawing the word out as she raised a brow at him, a frown tugging at her lips. She stood there for a moment, then, and he saw from the way her aura dimmed for a split second that she was thinking of something. "If um...If I did something wrong, then you should just...tell me. Okay?" His eyesockets widened and he shoved his phone back into his pocket roughly, holding his hands up in a sort of placating gesture.

"Nah, it's nothin' you did. Honest. Just..." He trailed off, thinking of how he wanted to phrase it, choosing his words carefully. "...Just kinda not used to...y'know. This?" He vaguely gestured between them, and her cheeks reddened in that way he absolutely loved. "'s not you, babe, promise." There was that nickname again, and when she reacted with a small stutter in her breath, he worried he shouldn't have. "Ah, 're you okay with that? Me callin' you that, I mean..."

"Oh. Uh...yeah. I...I really like it, actually..." Then she smiled, and oh, why was he so nervous to begin with? Something deep in his soul relaxed and he only felt a small tremble of anxiety in his soul as he stepped forward, leaning up to press a toothy kiss to her cheek.

"Cool."

* * *

Breakfast ended up being a simple affair of cereal with milk (for Lena) and ketchup (for Sans). While she normally was pretty open to different food choices, she had to stop and question the sanity of someone who doused their corn flakes with ketchup. He said that it was an acquired taste, but that he learned to _relish_ it. She groaned. He laughed. Everything was like normal between them, as if the whole stupidity of avoiding her and the drama of last night had never happened.

Then silence settled over them, and it didn't feel entirely comfortable due to the fact that Lena kept looking at him, then looking away and biting her lip in a way that just wreaked havoc on his soul. After about half an hour of this he tore his eyes away from the television and looked at her, unsurprised to find her looking at him again. She was quick to avert her gaze, but he'd already caught her, and they both knew it.

"Somethin' on your mind, babe?" God, that simple four-letter word did funny things to her insides, making it feel like butterflies had taken to dancing inside her stomach. She squirmed slightly in her seat and stared down at the floor. How do you even bring something like this up and have it _not_ be awkward. After a moment she chanced a glance up at him, blush burning brighter than a bonfire.

"This morning, you were, uh...staring at me..." Seeing where this conversation was headed, Sans looked away, having the grace to look embarrassed and the slightest bit guilty. "...A lot," she added, and he huffed a nervous laugh, raising a hand to scratch at the back of his skull. "Can...I ask what you were doing..?" He shrugged his shoulders (was that just a default answer for him?) and, when she didn't say anything, sighed.

"I uh...heh. What can _eye_ say? Just tryin' to get a good _look_." Oh. That wasn't exactly what he imagined would be coming out of his mouth. Quick, think of something fast. "If I crossed any boundaries then, y'know, feel free to _socket_ to me. I'd understand."

"No no, it's fine, just... I was kinda confused," she admitted, and he sighed, feeling like he dodged a bullet for some reason. After a brief pause, she glanced back up at him, eyes alight with something difficult to place. "You were just...curious?" He gave a short nod, and the smile on her face was small, and awkward, but warm. "If you wanna...y'know, satisfy your curiosity..." Sans felt his soul beat soundly in his chest, almost as if his heart had skipped a beat. "S-sorry, that's probably really weird of me to-"

"Sure." His voice had come without his bidding, giving an answer he hadn't meant to give, and certainly not that quickly. Hell, he cut her off to agree. Was he really so curious? Or was there another reason fueling his actions? She looked just as surprised by his interjection as he felt, and it took her a moment to nod.

"O-okay..."

They sat there staring at each other awkwardly for a moment, and Lena cleared her throat, trying to cover up her embarrassment with a smile and only partially succeeding, whereas Sans sat with his mouth firmly shut, if only to make certain he didn't say anything else that got him into trouble. He'd gotten them into this awkward standoff. Now what? _'She offered...'_ Clenching his jaw slightly, he leaned forward and carefully intertwined their fingers, holding her hand closely in his own. Feeling the thin bones of her phalanges between his own, thicker ones. How easily he could snap them with just a squeeze, yet they were powerful enough to do amazing things. He was amazed how, even here, he could feel the careful rhythm of her heartbeat, and he zoned out into it, feeling it, and he didn't even notice until she gave his hand a small squeeze. She was looking at him worriedly, lips turned down into a small frown, and he couldn't have that. He leaned forward and pressed his teeth to her lips in his form of a kiss, and they immediately pulled up at the corners, both of them smiling.

"What's so interesting about me, anyway? I'm just an ordinary human..." He wanted to tell her how wrong she was, how she was the single most interesting thing to him, the most captivating. But he simply shrugged, pulling their joined hands up so he could examine her elbow. He ran across it with his fingertips, faintly pressing into the space between the rounded knob of the olecranon and her humerous. As expected, her arm twitched, and she jerked her arm back a little, away from his prodding fingers.

"Somethin' tickle yer _funny bone_?" he drawled, snorting when she rolled her eyes at him.

"There's nothing _funny_ about it. There's a really sensitive nerve that runs between there, and it huuuuurts when you bang it on something!" she whined, as if he'd just done that very thing to her. He wanted to point out how it did the same to him, but why spoil the fun?

"Huh, no kiddin'? Why do they call it the _humerus_ then?" As he asked the question he carefully slid his hand upward along her arm, feeling the longer portion of her humerus. All it took was a small amount of pressure and her flesh dipped beneath his fingertips, and he could faintly feel the outline of the solid bone beneath. It made him want to see if he could map out every single one. He lifted her arm even higher, straightening elbow as he continued his careful prodding and poking.

"Well, I think it's probably because of the tingling sensation that hitting the nerve causes... Or maybe because people think it's funny when someone else has their funny bone hit and have a sick sense of humo- h-hey!" She flinched and tried to lower her arm as he prodded at her underarm, trying to feel the back of her scapula or the sides of her ribs, and he pulled away slightly, raising a browbone. Was she...?

"Are you ticklish?"

"No, are you?" Her words came out in a rush, far too quickly, and he felt the grin spreading across his face. The look on her face was one of fear as she regarded his expression, and she swallowed audibly.

"Nah, not really. Only on my funny bone..." Trailing off slightly, he subtly shifted closer to her; she not-so-subtly scooted away from him. He reached out with one hand and snagged one of her wrists, holding it away from her so he could create an opening for attack. He dove in with his other hand, tickling at her side and over her ribs. She yelped and bit her lip to try and contain the laughter, but it was no use. "'s wrong babe? Somethin' _tickle_ your fancy?" She wasn't able to reply, the only sounds leaving her being gasping breaths and helpless giggles. It was infections, and he found himself laughing along with her. "Man, hearin' your laugh just _tickles_ me pink!" These puns were terrible. He knew it. But he was off his A-game with her sitting in front of him the way she was, laughing the way she was.

"S-s-ssssstop iiiiiit!" she cried through giggles, reaching a hand out to slap at his shoulder. She immediately regret the action, since it only made her hand throb. He cackled at her and leaned in closer. She threw herself backwards, tipping and falling off of the couch. Her upper back landed flat on the floor, kneck bent at an uncomfortable angle, and her lower half stayed draped across the couch so her legs were above her head. Sans would have returned to his assault in the tickle war or come up with some witty remark, but he found himself unable as he was suddenly getting a pretty decent look at her black and four leaf clover-print underwear. Why the words "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" were printed across the front, he'd never know (lies, he knew Google like a personal friend), but something about the situation screamed that it was something he shouldn't have seen. He quickly covered his face, which had begun to burn a stunning cerulean, with one hand as he waved frantically with the other, trying to urge her to move. She did, after she got a second to get her bearings, and she sat with her legs tucked under her and her nightgown pulled firmly down to cover herself. They sat in an uncomfortable silence after that, her staring at the ground looking nearly humiliated, him so incredibly flustered that he didn't know what to say.

"...Hey, I bet I know who your favorite DC comic character is." She made a small questioning noise, tearing her eyes away from the carpet to look up at him. "...The _Flash_." He gave a throaty chuckle as he narrowly dodged a flying pillow, a cascade of flustered phrases meeting his (non)ears.

Ahhh, yeah... Fuck, he loved this girl.

* * *

 **[[ Hope you liked it! Like I said, I've been dying to write some cuteness between them for forever now! ;w; Please please please feel free to follow me and this fic on Tumblr (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com) and leave me a comment! Please! I love to hear from you guys! ]]**


	28. Chapter 28

**[[ Hey guys, Brit here. Sorry about the amount of time it took to get this chapter done. Not to get too in-depth, but I'm gonna be staying at a hospital this weekend (4/29-5/01) and probably won't be allowed to have my computer with me to write. I've been struggling a bit, but it's nothin' worth mentioning. Anywho! This chapter is kinda lackluster, I know, and I apologize for that. But I'm already working on the next one to try and make up for it, along with the dry spell with no updates. Hopefully, here soon, things will get a little more back to normal, and updates will be more regular. Love you guys, and I hope you enjoy this chapter regardless! ]]**

* * *

Dread. That was the only word that could accurately sum up exactly what she was feeling right in that moment. As Lena sat at her dining room table, envelopes stacked neatly on the surface in front of her, she hesitantly reached out and picked one up. The paper felt incredibly heavy in her hands despite its actual contents, and when she carefully tore open the envelope and unfolded the papers within, she felt a weight drop into the bottom of her stomach.

" _Utility Late Charges"_

She had already gotten her last paycheck from the school in Tristin, so now she found herself here, unemployed and with overdue bills. It wasn't as though she hadn't been searching for another job. But every single school in Tristin turned her down, not wanting to 'stir up trouble'. _'This can't be legal... But who do I even talk to about this?'_ She sighed, glancing at her resume notebook sitting across the table with a mournful look. It looked like her possible career as a teacher truly was over...and she was going to just have to get over it and move on with her life. But there was nothing else she'd ever wanted to do. She'd been only four months away from completing her teaching degree; as soon as she'd finished her internship at Tristin Elementary, she'd have been able to hold that diploma in her hand and start looking for schools to work for...

Sighing, she shoved a hand through her hair, feeling it tug and snag on a few tangles on the way through. It was frustrating, nearly infuriatingly so, that she'd have to spend however many _years_ paying off a degree that she wasn't even allowed to finish. But what could she do? There was no sense in getting upset over it, since she couldn't change it. _'"It is what it is," as Brit always says...'_ It was with that thought that she tossed the bill she'd currently had grasped in her hands onto the pile of similar documents resting on the table, pushing her chair back from the table and standing up to head into her bedroom. She grabbed her laptop and opened it, clicking on the internet browser as she carried it into the living room. Once the search query came up, she began typing.

" **Job openings in Taobh"**

As soon as she hit 'Search', there was a short knock on her door, and she only had about two seconds before it was opening, swinging inward as a familiar face peeked in. She relaxed when she saw the short skeleton, giving him a smile in greeting.

"Hey, mind if I chill out here? Paps and the kid are watching Mettaton specials." He grimaced slightly and she chuckled, nodding her head and patting the spot next to her on the couch. "Thanks, babe." The skeleton shuffled over to the couch and plopped down on the couch next to her, scooting closer and draping an arm around her shoulders. He leaned in and pressed a small toothy kiss to her cheek, grinning when it flushed a faint pink. After a few weeks, Sans had at least gotten more comfortable with her that he could show affection without getting all awkward...usually. She loved the times when he would get all flustered, cheekbones glowing that particular shade of azure that she loved so much.

She turned back to the laptop set on her thighs and started scrolling, frowning as she saw just how few her search had found. Finding a job would be harder than she thought... Sans leaned over and peeked at the screen curiously, raising a browbone.

"Job search..?" he asked, his cheek resting against her shoulder. "Can't ya just go to another school in Tristin?" She tensed slightly, and she prayed that he didn't notice. He did. "Can't ya?" he asked again, this time more pointedly. She sighed, tapping her fingertips against the laptop idly.

"...No." He made a small noise of questioning, and she continued. "I've called them all, and they uh...said that they didn't want to stir up any trouble by hiring me." She felt his bony hand squeeze her shoulder lightly and could hear him gritting his teeth, and she raised a hand to grasp at his, running her thumb along the back of it soothingly. "It's okay-"

"No it's not. Can they even do that?!"

"I don't know, but they have, and I can't do much about it... So I need to find a job for in the meantime." He seemed to think about this for a minute, frowning.

"...Why the sudden search?" Lena looked away, and he turned her by her shoulder to look at him, eyesockets narrowed slightly. "Babe?"

"I...got my last paycheck from Tristin Elementary a few weeks ago, and I'm behind on a few things financially."

"Y' can't get unemployment?"

"No... Not with me living in Taobh." He growled and leaned his skull back, glaring up at the ceiling. "It'll be okay, Sans. I'll just get a job and I'll be fine."

"How far behind are you?" he asked suddenly, glancing over at her, and she felt herself squirm under his gaze. After a moment of silence, he huffed a breath and withdrew his arm as he got up, striding over to the kitchen table and spreading out the papers she had laying there. Her face felt hot with embarrassment and shame as she watched his frown deepen with every passing second, and she raised her hands to cover her face. She heard him sigh heavily, and the sound of shuffling across the carpet, then there were bony arms wrapping around her shoulders in a hug.

"Why didn't ya say anythin'? Coulda helped you out," he mumbled, actually sounding a bit hurt, and Lena slowly lowered her hands away from her face, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I didn't want to bother you guys..."

"Stubborn," he grumbled affectionately, nuzzling his nasal ridge against her cheek before pulling back. He had a thoughtful look on his face, eyelights sweeping across the apartment. "...This place is pretty big. And ya got two extra rooms..." She frowned slightly in confusion, and he sighed. "I know we haven't been a thing for long, but...what do ya think about Paps and I movin' in?" At the surprised look on her face, his cheeks flushed a faint blue, and he raised a hand to scratch at the back of his skull. "We'd have our own rooms, and with three of us, payin' for this place would be a lot easier." It was true, having roommates _would_ make living there easier on her financially...but she felt the smallest bit of guilt worming its way into her brain. "Hey, cut that out," he said suddenly, and she blinked as he reached a hand out to comb through her hair. The feeling of his smooth, bony fingers scratching gently against her scalp was incredibly soothing, and she closed her eyes. "No feelin' guilty for nothin'. Paps won't mind, I want to, you need the help. It works out for all of us."

"Y-yeah, but...but what about your apartment?" Sans shrugged his shoulders.

"Not too attached to the place. And movin' won't be that big of a deal. I'd just have to go talk to Tori about it." At the mention of the queen, Lena frowned, fidgeting with her hands in her lap. "She knows about the whole job thing, babe. She's not mad at ya. If anythin', I'm sure she's prolly worried." This did little to soothe her, so he leaned forward to press a lingering, toothy kiss to her lips, feeling her tense for a half second before she relaxed. She breathed out a soft sigh against him, and a chuckle rumbled up from his chest. "C'mon, what do ya say?" he asked, pulling her away until she was at arm's length so that he could look at her. She bit her lip gently as she remained silent, then heaved out a sigh.

"Alright... But I'm taking care of all the chores, and I'll do the shopping, and-"

"Babe, you really think Paps is gonna let you do that?" She slumped her shoulders in defeat and he grinned, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'll go tell Paps we're movin', and we can start gettin' things together. Tori's at work, so we'll have to talk to her later about it." She gave a small nod and he pulled his hand from her hair, to which she only gave a small whine. _'That was pretty cute...'_

"Then...if you're gonna do that, I'll get the place clean." Sans glanced around with a brow raised, about to point out that it was perfectly clean, but the small huff and the way she crossed her arms kept him from it. He shrugged and gave a small grunt of agreement, grinning as he leaned down to give her another quick kiss before he suddenly fell through the floor, a doorway opened up beneath his feet. She shook her head and smiled a bit, watching as the doorway slowly closed until it disappeared. That would be something she'd have to get used to if he was going to be living there.

...Living together, huh? A part of her worried, but another, larger part fluttered with a faint excitement. This was like a new adventure, and she could hardly wait for it to start.

* * *

She wouldn't have to wait very long, as it turned out. Lena had hardly had the time to get up from the couch before her front door burst open and Papyrus stood there, Frisk tucked under one arm like a football while he held Sans cradled in his other arm. It was, all in all, a very endearing sight, and the woman couldn't help but coo at the three of them standing in her doorway. "HUMAN! I DO NOT WANT YOU TO BE ALARMED, BUT MY BROTHER AND I HAVE COME TO THE DECISION THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE OUT OF OUR APARTMENT! AND, AS IT TURNS OUT, WE WILL ACTUALLY BE MOVING INTO THE GUEST ROOMS HERE IN SCENIC YOUR APARTMENT!" he announced, quite loudly, and even though she'd already been well aware, she couldn't help but act slightly surprised.

"Oh? Well, I guess I'm alright with that. Make yourself at home!" Papyrus gave a hearty "nyeh heh heh" and strode into the apartment, dumping both Sans and Frisk on the couch before pulling the human into a very strong (and very bony) hug.

"FEAR NOT, HUMAN, FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL PUT ALL OF YOUR WORRIES TO REST... YES, I WILL BE MAKING YOU SPAGHETTI FOR DINNER!" As if that was her biggest worry. But she smiled brightly, his eagerness and sureness making her feel just a little bit more at ease. She gave him a big nod, and he laughed, reaching a hand up to pat her on the head. She considered herself a bigger girl, but she felt rather small with his large skeletal hand patting her as if she were a small child. "GOOD. NOW, SANS, WAKE UP! WE WILL BEGIN MOVING OUR THINGS IMMEDIATELY!" The shorter skeleton was laying upside down on the sofa, a slipper hanging just by the edge of his toes. His jaw opened wide in a large yawn and he gave his brother a half-lidded, sleepy glance.

"Sure thing, bro. Y' got a problem with me openin' a doorway to make it easier?" Papyrus seemed to ponder this for a moment and, after a while, nodded, to which Sans gave a tired grin. "Sweet."

Lena had never seen anyone move things so quickly. Sure, the skeleton brothers hadn't lived that far away to begin with, but you would think that moving furniture would have been at least somewhat difficult. That, as it turned out, wasn't true, as Papyrus walked up the stairs carrying his race car bed on one shoulder. She'd have to ask him later how on earth he got to be so strong. Sans, though much more sluggish with his movements, had cut a doorway straight between their living rooms, and she watched as box after box began to float through it and landing in a neat stack on the floor. After a dozen or so flew through, Sans stepped in after them with the last box tucked under his arm, a lazy grin spread across his face.

"You'd put dozens of moving companies out of business with your skills," she mumbled, glancing at all of the boxes and then at him. "...You're sure you're okay with this?" Her voice sounded awfully uncertain, surprising even herself, and Sans heaved a sigh. Lena bit her lip. _'He must be getting tired of having to reassure me all the time. He's going to end up getting tired of a lot of things. He's gonna-'_ Her thoughts were interrupted by a smooth, bony hand suddenly slipping around the back of her neck, pulling her down for a kiss.

"I'm sure. Papyrus nearly exploded he was so excited... Ain't that right, kid?" They turned and saw Frisk still sitting on the couch, and the child's hair flew as they nodded. "There, ya see? It's fine. Everything's fine." She allowed herself to relax, just a bit, and when she saw that he was watching her expression, she pulled on a smile and nodded. "Good. Now... I think we can talk to Tori tomorrow. She's gonna be kinda cranky from the meeting." A breathless giggling came from the couch, and Sans gave a wide grin in Frisk's direction. "Am I wrong?" The child immediately shook their head which, obviously, Sans hadn't expected, because he gave a loud snort of ill-concealed laughter. "'kay then, glad we can _angry_ on something. How about lunch?"

"I WILL MAKE LUNCH FOR ALL OF US!" Papyrus suddenly interjected, suddenly appearing back into the room. His appearances were not at all like Sans', which were quieter, more subtle. No, Papyrus' appearances into a room were often very sudden, very loud, and very energized...much like Papyrus himself. The lanky skeleton began heading into the kitchen when a big wad of guilt suddenly coiled tightly in the pit of Lena's stomach, and she quickly stepped between him and the entryway to the kitchen.

"No." The room went quiet at her sudden refusal, and Papyrus looked down at her, confusion written plainly across his skull. "I um... Until I'm able to help financially... I want to do all the chores and cooking...except for our weekly spaghetti nights," she included, because hearing that he wasn't allowed to cook had Papyrus' shoulders slumping, and she didn't want to disappoint him. That was the worst thing a person could do, she decided. The brightness of his smile was blinding, and she immediately felt better.

"VERY WELL, HUMAN. I WILL PREPARE THE MEAL FOR OUR WEEKLY PASTA GATHERINGS, AND WHENEVER YOU ARE NOT PRESENT TO COOK. UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, THIS IS THE HUMAN LENA'S KITCHEN! I SHALL RESPECT YOUR RULES THEREIN!" He stated it all so matter-of-factly despite how ridiculously it was said that she was torn between agreement and laughter. Caught somewhere in between the two, she nodded with a small giggle, unable to help the smile spreading across her lips. "GOOD. NOW, IF THAT IS DONE AND OVER WITH, HUMAN, WOULD YOU MIND MAKING LUNCH-"

The front door suddenly burst open, and Sans only looked mildly surprised for a split second as he turned toward the loud noise, jaw clenched subtly before he saw who it was. "Sup, nerds?!" Undyne stood there, one hand on the doorknob, the other hanging onto something just outside the doorframe. Still recovering from the startle, Lena held a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Oh, h-hey Undyne! I didn't know you were coming by-"

"OH FIDDLESTICKS!"

"I think ya mean _fishsticks_ bro-"

"UNDYNE!" Papyrus interrupted his brother's pun, sending him a small frown before turning to his friend with a giant grin. "I APOLOGIZE! I FORGOT ABOUT US GOING OUT TODAY. HER MAJESTY IS OUT ON BUSINESS AND I AM WATCHING FRISK FOR TODAY..." He sounded truly apologetic, and the fishwoman reached out with a webbed hand and clapped him on the shoulder with it. Hard.

"Hey, don't worry about it! Bringin' my bestie along oughta make it even better!" She moved her hands to her hips, completely unmoved as Frisk bounded off of the sofa and jumped onto her back, hanging onto her by their arms wrapped around her neck. "Ready to go, punk?!" They nodded eagerly, signing something that Lena missed, but it was obviously hilarious by the way that Undyne laughed. "Nah nah, don't worry about it. Alphys was wantin' to hang out with her today, anyway!" Suddenly a yellow eye was focused on her, and Lena tried not to feel nervous under its intense gaze. Something about the way that very eye had looked at her before, when there was the tip of a spear to her nose, had stuck with her. "You okay with that, nerd? Al was wantin' to talk to ya, spend some 'girl time'-"

"You mean _gill_ time-"

"SO I FIGURED YOU WOULDN'T MIND! HERE YOU GO!" Undyne reached out into the hallway and pulled Alphys into the room, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before grabbing Papyrus and practically slamming the door behind them. The three remaining in the room stood there for a moment, Lena in shock, Alphys a nervous wreck, and Sans only looking slightly put-off that nobody acknowledged his jokes. After a few moments of silence, the small yellow lizard monster wrung her claws anxiously, glancing between the two of them.

"I-I'm sorry if we, uh...i-if I interrupted any plans for the day-"

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it. We were just movin' in," Sans said easily, his cheekbones flushed the faintest shade of blue, and Lena frowned at him, confused, but he shrugged his shoulders so that the bottom half of his face was hidden more by the fur of his hood. "Welp, I better go make sure we didn't forget anythin' at the old place. I'll see you ladies later." Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving the two women standing in her living room, unsure of what had just happened.

"Uh... Do you wanna watch a movie?"

* * *

As it turns out, offering to watch television was probably the best thing Lena could have ever come up with. It always amazed her when she saw Alphys get passionate about something. Inside of that exterior of awkwardness and shyness and nervousness, there was a monster with a passionate soul with lots of feelings for things. Who was she to judge if anime just happened to be one of those things? She had gone through a phase where all she ever did was watch anime, too.

As they sat on the couch snacking on popato chisps and soda, they were about half-way into a series Lena had never seen when she felt like speaking up. "So...how many panty-flashes are to be expected in this series? This is...what, ten, just in this episode alone?" she asked with a laugh, and that must have been what made the monster so sure that she wasn't upset about it. "If Brit were here, she'd be making so many lewd jokes...so many..." Alphys chuckled and tapped her claws against the glass bottle currently held in her grasp, staring with rapt attention at the screen.

"A-a lot. It's pretty ridiculous, actually...b-but what's a series without a little fan-service?" Lena bit back a snort and rolled her eyes.

"Well, there's fan-service, and then there's 'High School of the Dead'..." This prompted a snort and a giggle from Alphys, who quickly covered her mouth with a blush. "I mean, that was _so_ geared and designed towards guys. Guns, zombies, and boobs? Come on!" The two shared a laugh, the air lightening between them, and Alphys set her bottle down on the coffee table.

"I never did understand human fascination with that." Lena sighed and shrugged her shoulders, popping another chip into her mouth as she thought.

"Well, humans put a lot more stock into physical appearances than monsters seem to. There's certain things that a person needs to have in order to be considered attractive...they're different for either gender. For women, big boobs just happens to be one of them." The monster raised a brow curiously, a thoughtful frown pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Th-then you must be pretty uh...considered pretty attractive, huh?" Her yellow cheeks flushed a faint orange with her blush, and Lena felt her own cheeks warm, chuckling.

"Not at all. Being thin is also important for being 'attractive'," she said, raising her hands and curling her index and middle fingers in 'air quotes'. "And I'm obviously not, so...I'm not really." She gestured down to herself, her smile faltering only a little bit as she looked at herself.

"It d-doesn't make sense to us. A persons s-soul is more important, b-but...well, humans can't see souls normally, so maybe that's why you all seem to care more about physical traits..." Alphys murmured. With a short pause, she glanced over at the human, hesitation clear within her face as she tapped her claws idly together. "Do you...feel that way, too? Th-that looks are important?"

"No, not really. Sure, I still see people as attractive, but I don't think it's all that important. I'm more attracted to a person's personality." The yellow monster seemed to relax a bit at that, though for what reason, Lena wasn't sure.

"W-what things do you find attractive...?" Alphys asked quietly, and Lena didn't even need to think before she gave her response.

"A sense of humor. Definitely. I love people who can make me laugh, like Brit. She's always been good at making people laugh, and that's one of the things I love the most about her. And dedication, and passion, and loyalty. People who aren't afraid to show how they feel about the people they care about. ...But people who get a little flustered about expressing themselves isn't bad at all, either..." At some point, her general thoughts had turned to focus on a certain person, and she felt her cheeks warming the more she talked. After a moment she realized she was rambling and, when she looked up, Alphys was giving her a knowing smirk. "...What?"

"Oh, nothing... I-I just didn't know that we were talking about Sans." Lena flushed red and Alphys squealed quietly, claws raising to cover her mouth. "You guys are d-dating, right?" That...was a good question. Sure, they hadn't technically discussed or said it in words, but from the way he had been treating her since that night...it _felt_ like they were dating. She bit her lip lightly and nodded, and she just knew that her face must be a bright red from how hot it felt. "So...h-how far have you two gone?"

"Wh-what?!" Her green eyes widened and she stiffened, feeling embarrassment wash over her. "W-we haven't..."

"Y-you mean you haven't bonded yet...?"

"B-bonded...?"

"Ah..." Now it was apparently Alphys' turn to look embarrassed, wringing her claws together. "It's uh... W-w-well... It's where you...uh... Y-you touch souls, a-and..." The monster's face turned a dark red and she covered her face with her claws.

"Touch souls...? Well, I-I mean, Sans has already touched mine-"

"H-he has?!" The outburst startled the human, and she waved her hands frantically in front of herself, suddenly feeling defensive.

"B-but it was a while ago! And...he only did it because I was curious..." Alphys frowned at this, and Lena raised a brow in question.

"I-If he touched your soul, then it wasn't just because he was c-curious. He wanted to... D-did he at least tell you wh-what it meant?" The human nodded, staring down at her lap and picking lint off of her pants. "Wh-what was it like...?" she suddenly asked, voice quiet, and Lena glanced over at her, surprised. Her face was then overcome by a warm smile, her embarrassment melting away into fondness as she thought back to that evening.

"It was...intense. I-I've never felt so safe in my entire life. Like this warm presence was wrapped all around me, like a blanket..." She averted her eyes, then, face warm as she chuckled. "I-it was kind of embarrassing, the way he was staring at it...my soul, I mean. I've never seen his face look like that..." A soft sound to her right pulled her attention from her thoughts, and Lena raised her brows curiously at the expression of awe on the stout monster's face. "...What?"

"Oh...m-my god..." she whispered, her eyes practically sparkling. "I ship it...s-soooo hard!" Confusion gave way to disbelief, then embarrassment, and Lena groaned, covering her burning face with her hands.

"Oh my god, please, not you too-"

"B-but you two are so adorable! I-I can't believe you two haven't bonded yet... I-I mean, you both seem really close..." Feeling her curiosity peak, Lena peeked out from behind her hands.

"Is bonding like...the monster equivalent to sex or something...?" Alphys spluttered, gesturing blindly with her claws as she stammered out random sentence fragments, nothing at all coherent.

"I, erm- w-well, it- I-I mean, ehhh..." Taking a deep, calming breath, she gave a shaky sigh, tapping her claw tips against her knees. "It...is a lot more magic-related... S-since monsters are made up of mostly magic, w-we're intimate mostly through our souls... Th-that's something humans can't really do, s-so-" The monster cut herself off at the crestfallen expression on Lena's face. "I mean! Uh, h-humans _can_ , it's just um...m-more difficult?" After a moment of floudering about, she sighed heavily, touching a claw to her cheek. "I-I'm sorry..."

"No, it's...it's okay. It's only natural that humans couldn't do that sort of thing..." she said, smiling despite the heaviness in her chest at those words. She'd never be able to do for Sans what another monster could, and...that thought was a little saddening.

"If...uh, i-if you don't mind me asking...h-how do humans...?" Ah...so she was going to have the sex talk with a monster. This definitely wasn't how she was planning her day. Sighing, Lena raised a hand to rub at her reddened cheeks, as if doing so would willfully force the blush to fade.

"W-well...we, uh... Our bodies are sensitive in certain places, and...b-basically, we 'bond' over mutual pleasure... Sex is considered the most intimate act that humans can do. ...w-well, to most humans, anyway, that's what they think."

"Y-you don't think th-that way...?"

"It's... I mean, uh... I-I don't know. It's not like I have much experience exactly..." The human glanced over and could see the gears turning inside Alphys' head, and she'd be lying if it didn't make her nervous.

"...I-I wonder how bonding would work with a human and a monster. There haven't been t-too many pairs like that, so...v-very little is known about it..."

* * *

Sans had come back well over five minutes ago, but he just couldn't bring himself to come out of his hiding place. Not yet. His hood was pulled up over his head, the strings pulled taut so that the hood's opening was as small as possible, concealing most of his azure-flushed skull. Why was he standing, huddled and hiding in the kitchen with his face aglow with a blue blush, one might ask? Maybe the fact that she had described many of his own personality traits when she was talking about what she considered 'attractive'. That certainly didn't hurt. His soul had fluttered happily as he heard her talk, that fond tone in her voice that he knew she got when she talked about something she really cared about. _'Talking about_ _ **me**_ _like that...'_ It'd made him gain a giddy grin, which he'd immediately hunched his shoulders to hide. He'd thought about leaving the kitchen right then, catching her talking about him, maybe embarrassing her a little. She was always so adorable when she was embarrassed, the way her freckled cheekbones lit up so prettily with red, her nose scrunching up in that cute way he loved.

But then they were talking about other things, and suddenly he felt himself squirming as he stood, embarrassment overwhelming him, and he suddenly wished he hadn't decided to be nosy and hide to overhear their conversation. She told her. Alphys knew now that he'd touched her soul in a moment of weakness, and god, he felt his sins crawling on his back...because if Alphys knew, that meant that, soon enough, Undyne would know. If Undyne knew, then he'd never hear the end of it. He groaned inwardly and raised his hands to grip the sides of his skull, hidden within his hood. That wasn't even the part that had him the most flustered, either. No.

It was the mention of bonding.

Just the mention of it alone had his soul hammering wildly within his chest, filling his bones with a buzzing energetic surge of magic that left him craving something he knew little about. He hadn't missed the way her voice fell when Alphys said it wasn't possible. That meant that she had to be thinking about it, too, right? That's what he told himself, anyway, as he fisted a hand into the fabric resting over his chest, trying to will himself to calm down. They'd only been dating...what, a few weeks? There was no way he should be thinking about this right now...

As Alphys went into another tirade about how adorable of a couple he and the human were, he cut a hole through space just under his feet, falling through the Void and out of Lena's kitchen as he fell, none so gracefully, into what was no more his bedroom.

Maybe a little time to think would help.


	29. Chapter 29

**[[ Brit here! Hope you guys like this chapter. And the return of another character! I'm already working on the next chapter, so look forward to it! I love you guys. Comments give me life, and I could really use the encouragement for my writing right now! ]]**

* * *

Living with the skeleton brothers had, initially, been a bit of a daunting task. Not that she was necessarily strict to a routine herself, but Papyrus was always awake at six o'clock in the morning...every single morning. And the poor thing, try as he might, just couldn't seem to be quiet as he moved about in his morning routine. Maybe it was from years of living with his brother, who seemed to be able to sleep anytime, anywhere, but it often wound up with Lena waking up far earlier than she would have liked. But she could hardly bring herself to be upset with him for it, especially when he usually had breakfast ready for her by the time she left her first time, she had been surprised, and he looked the slightest bit embarrassed when she asked him why he'd gone to so much trouble.

"I AM AN AMAZING BROTHER! AND, AS AN AMAZING BROTHER, IT IS ONLY RIGHT FOR ME TO MAKE SURE MY BROTHER'S HUMAN IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF!" He'd stated it so proudly that she couldn't help but smile, even though a part of her felt so incredibly flustered at being referred to that way. As Sans' human. It was strange, but a part of her really, _really_ liked being referred to that way...but she would never say such outloud.

So her morning began with her waking up to Papyrus and clattering pots or pans. She'd drag herself into the shower in the attached bathroom she had in her room, get dressed, and go out to have breakfast with Papyrus...and Sans, oddly enough. He was usually half-asleep at the table, but he always made sure to try and spend a little time with her in the morning. Such a small gesture wasn't lost on her, and she would be sure to give him a thankful kiss on the cheekbone before he had to leave. Sans had a few part-time jobs and Papyrus had gotten the job working at Muffet's cafe, so she would see them off every morning with a smile, waiting until the door was closed to allow her expression to falter slightly. The apartment was always clean, because that's all she really knew to do. With nobody else there, the space was surprisingly lonesome. Sure, she'd lived there by herself, but even in such a short amount of time, she'd grown accustomed to the shuffling and sounds of other people living there. The television stayed on, even though she rarely watched it; it was more for the noise than anything else.

That was why, after a week and a half, she had been so overly excited when she got a call back about a job. She had long since given up on looking for school-related work, and even though that was what she'd always wanted, she was just thrilled to have work again, even if it was at a convenience store in Tristin. "Dress casual," the owner had said, "and wear comfortable shoes, because you'll be on your feet most of the day." She'd excitedly agreed to do just that, and promised to show up early the next day.

So she found herself standing in front of her mirror, pulling her long auburn hair back into a messy bun as her eyes glanced over her reflection. It was already beginning to grow warmer, so she'd picked out her favorite blank tank top and an emerald green cardigan, along with her most comfortable pair of jeans. Even if it was just a convenience store, she still wanted to make a good impression. She'd always been told to 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have.'

When she left her bedroom she was surprised to find Papyrus and Sans already sitting at the table, talking quietly to themselves. Sans was the first to notice her presence in the room, and she tried not to blush as his eyelights widened when he saw her. "Mornin' babe," he rumbled sleepily, raising a hand in a small wave, which she easily returned. He could sense her excitement, because when she sat down and started eating quickly, he chuckled. "Eager to get to work?" She nodded, pausing to chew and swallow the bite of pancake she had in her mouth.

"Yeah, I am! It'll be so great to finally work again... I can stop being a freeloader." She felt him elbow her gently, a small grunt the only admonishment he gave, and Papyrus slammed a hand on the table top, making the dishes clatter lightly.

"I AM ALSO EXCITED FOR YOU, HUMAN! YOU WILL BE THE BEST CONVENIENCE STORE EMPLOYEE, OF THAT I AM CERTAIN!" She beamed at him and nodded. It was hard not to feel sure of yourself when Papyrus believed in you so much, she realized. It was probably one of her favorite things about him.

"I'll do my best! I was actually going to try and get there early..." She finished her plate as quickly as possible, leaning over to give Sans his kiss on the cheek and an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'll see you guys later, though, okay?" They both waved her off, Papyrus with far more gusto and Sans with a light of admiration in his eyes that made her heart flutter within her chest. Today was going to be a good day, she could feel it! With a new start and a new job, what could possibly go wrong?

* * *

The shop wasn't quite as lively as she would have hoped for a first day, and she spent the first couple hours sitting behind the counter, waiting. She tried to be attentive, organizing and reorganizing the things behind the glass display case of the counter, cleaning the bathrooms, sweeping...twice. By the time she'd looked around and realized there wasn't anything for her to do, she leaned against the counter with a small sigh. Maybe tomorrow she'd bring a book to keep herself occupied during the slow hours.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, the sliding doors opened, and the small chime playing over the speakers told her that someone had walked in. She felt her heart sink a bit when she saw who it was.

"Oh..." Brushing a lock of her razor-straight hair aside, Lena found herself locking eyes with a familiar (and not necessarily happy) sight. "It's _you_."

"H-hey, Kathleen..." The ex-coworker looked her over, ice-blue eyes critical for a moment, and she could've sworn that she saw the faintest hints of a sneer pulling up on the other woman's pink-painted lips.

"Lena! Why, I hardly recognized you. You usually hide yourself away in a big bulky sweater." The words were said so sweetly that, if you weren't listening, you might confuse her words for flattery. The smile that accompanied them helped the illusion, but Lena knew better. "We've missed you at the school. Such a shame that you got let go..." she cooed, the sympathy in her voice so false that it made Lena struggle to keep up her neutral expression.

"Yeah..."

"Oh well, water under the bridge! So, have you managed to find any other teaching jobs?" The way it was asked made it clear that the blond knew something Lena didn't, and she had to swallow past the hard lump of shame in her throat to answer.

"Not yet, no..."

"What? Such a shame, such a shame..." There was a pause, and Kathleen narrowed her eyes slightly, leaning forward and lowering her voice as if they were talking about something secret. "You know, the rumor going around is that you were seen escorting a monster and that...well, forgive me, but that it took you home! A few of the girls in the office were gossiping, and I couldn't help but overhear..." The auburn haired woman frowned, eyes widening as she took in this information. "That couldn't be true, though! The Lena I knew would never compromise her career to fraternize with monsters! Would you believe it, but they said that you even moved to the monster's city!"

"I...did," Lena muttered bravely, her voice barely above a whisper. "I live in Taobh now."

" _What?!_ Oh my goodness... I don't know why you would do such a thing, darling. You were always a brilliant person, a little out of sorts physically, but you were always very smart. I can't believe you'd willingly associate with _creatures_ -"

"Is there something I can help you with?" Lena cut the other woman off, her jaw clenched slightly as she put on her most convincing smile. The blond's eyes narrowed a bit further, reminding her of a cat's after it's just caught a mouse, and her smile widened.

"Oh, just these!" She placed a diet bar and nutrition shake on the counter, scooting them toward the other woman. "I'm sure you've never heard of these, but they're amazing!" _'Again, assuming I don't know what diet products are...'_ Lena grabbed the things and rang her up, setting them not quite so gently into a plastic bag, sliding it across the counter.

"That'll be $7.83..." She took the extended card and paused before sliding it. "Debit or credit?" The rest of the transaction went that way, Lena silently fuming, Kathleen looking positively smug while her tone dripped with false pleasantries. As the blond took her bag and slid her credit card back into her purse, she sent her a sickeningly sweet smile.

"It's been great seeing you! I can't wait to tell the girls what you've been up to!" With that, she turned on her too-high heel and her foosteps clicked out the door. As soon as she drove away and out of sight, Lena groaned quietly, leaning her head against her arms on the counter. So much about what the other woman had said made her angry...but she didn't feel right to lash out. Everyone was entitled to their opinions...even if they were hurtful. The bell rang again and she quickly sat up, pulling on a smile as a small group walked in.

It was going to be a long day...

* * *

If there was one thing that Papyrus was certain of, it was that he was a great friend. He'd already been thinking of a special dinner to celebrate the human's first day at her new job when his brother approached him, asking if he could go and check on her during her break. He'd wanted to do it himself, naturally, but it was one of those days where all of his part-time jobs had called him in, so he had no time to. "Can I count on ya to do it, bro?" Sans had asked, and, starry-eyed and eager, Papyrus had naturally agreed.

"OF COURSE I CAN BE COUNTED ON! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, GREATEST OF FRIENDS AND GREATEST OF BROTHERS!" he announced loudly to himself, speaking his thoughts by accident and startling a mother who was walking with her son. The little boy looked up at him with eyes wide and full of wonder, and Papyrus had stopped, prepared to greet him. But his mother, apparently not excited about talking to a monster, quickly pulled him away. _'Oh well! It is their loss!'_ he told himself, continuing his stride as he headed determinedly in the direction of his destination. The little convenience store came into view and he quickened his pace, a wide grin splitting his skull. He had to duck to get into the sliding doors, and a little chime greeted him, making his expression brighten.

The human was sat slumped behind the counter, chin resting on her folded arms, her eyes downcast and looking the exact opposite of excited about her new job. This was no good! He would have to cheer her up. "GREETINGS, HUMAN!" he announced, watching as she flinched slightly and sat up stiffly, eyes widening before she realized it was him.

"Oh, h-hey Papyrus!" The smile pulling upward at her lips was uncomfortable and forced. Papyrus could see these things fairly well, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he took a chance to walk around the small store, looking over the things they were selling. He didn't notice any of the products, which told him plenty about the store's owner. No monster products probably also meant no monsters. He would have to keep an eye on that. "What are you doing here...?" she asked, clearly confused, and he chuckled, his gloved hands on his hips.

"I HAVE COME TO KEEP YOU COMPANY DURING YOUR BREAK HOUR, OBVIOUSLY!" He frowned softly, crossing his bony arms over his chestplate. "AND IT IS A GOOD THING I DID. YOU SEEM TO BE IN MUCH POORER SPIRITS THAN I HAD EXPECTED YOU TO BE." This made her smile falter the slightest bit, like a flickering flame, before it burned even brighter. Sighing, he carefully walked around the counter and sat on the hard floor, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his ankles. "IS YOUR DAY NOT GOING AS WELL AS YOU HAD ANTICIPATED?" She didn't answer, and he just waited, watching her unblinking as the false smile slowly began to slip off of her face.

"...Is it that obvious?"

"ONLY TO SOMEONE AS PERCEPTIVE AS THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NYEH HEH HEH!" His victorious laugh made her chuckle a bit, and she breathed out a sigh. "IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO TALK ABOUT IT, THAT IS FINE. JUST REMEMBER THAT I AM YOUR FRIEND, AND I ONLY WISH FOR YOU TO BE HAPPY." After a second's pause, he continued, his voice softer. "You are my brother's human, and when you are happy, he is happy. So I not only want you happy for your sake, but for his, as well." Her face flushed a light red right across her freckled cheekbones and nose as he referred to her as his brother's human, and he cocked his head in question.

"I-It's nothing... Thanks, Pappy." She smiled, much more genuinely this time, and though whatever had her down was still lingering on her mind, he was happy with that.

"YOU ARE MOST WELCOME! NOW, ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS ODD CUSTOMER WE HAD IN THE CAFE TODAY!" He dove into his story, gesturing wildly with his hands as he talks, and though she was still bothered by what Kathleen had said to her, Lena just couldn't help but feel significantly cheered up by his presence. He always knew just what to say or do in order to make her feel better, it seemed. He really was the best friend. "...AND, WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT, BUT THIS MONSTER WAS A FLY MONSTER! HE WALKED IN BY MISTAKE, AND FROM THE LOOK ON HIS FACE, YOU WOULD THINK HE WAS ABOUT TO PASS OUT ON THE SPOT! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!" His jubilant laughter was infectious, and she found herself giggling along with his story.

* * *

After her lunch hour was up, she found herself being pulled into a bony hug behind the counter, which she readily returned. It took a lot for her to ignore the looks that a few people walking by and around the store were giving them, but she did it, because she wasn't about to let them affect how she interacted with her friends. Once the towering skeleton left the store, the room felt so much bigger, without him there making everything look small. It felt...lonely, and she suddenly found herself wishing she had asked him to stay a bit longer. _'This isn't Taobh, though... It would be a risk to ask him to stay too much longer.'_ Sighing, she was about to return to her seat on the small stool behind the counter when a buzzing from her pocket caught her attention. With a small frown, she pulled her phone out of her pocket, turning on the screen to see she had a message waiting for her.

| **Sans** : * is it just me that usually ends up thinking around this time that i'd really rather be at home in bed? |

Smiling a bit, she quickly tapped back a reply, only looking away from her phone to greet a new customer that came in. Judging from the dirty look they gave her, they weren't too thrilled to have to talk to her, either, so she didn't feel quite as bad when her attention returned to the texts.

| **Lena** : Just at home in general, to be honest. I forgot what it's like to work a 'service' job. |

| **Sans** : * yeah, i was wonderin how your day went. did paps stop by? |

| **Lena** : Yeah, bless his heart. I was really happy to see him, actually. He told me this story all about something funny that happened at Muffet's. |

| **Sans** : * yeah, my bro's pretty cool. he's super _fly_. |

A snort escaped her before she could cover it, and when she glanced up to check the store, she saw the customer leveling her with a glare over the top of one of the shelves.

| **Lena** : So fly. He's _aerial_ great friend. His visit was the only highlight of my entire shift so far. |

| **Sans** : * good one, babe. and i can't wait to hear all about it when i get home. |

| **Sans** : * everything's alright there right? i know that you said the place was in tristin. |

| **Lena** : Don't worry so much about it. I'll be okay. |

| **Sans** : * babe. |

| **Lena** : It's fine! Just one of my old coworkers came in and said some stuff, and I've gotten a few dirty looks. Nothing I can't handle. I'm a big girl, Sans. |

She flinched at the double-meaning of her own words, calling herself a big girl (which, she couldn't lie, she was).

| **Sans** : * yer right, i know ya are, but i still don't like it. |

| **Sans** : * 's not right. |

| **Lena** : Right or not, it is what it is. They don't make me doubt my feelings for you guys at all. |

| **Sans** : * that's nice to hear, but that isn't why i don't like it necessarily. |

| **Sans** : * anyway, i gotta be _frank_ with ya. i gotta bounce. |

| **Lena** : Your job at the hot dog stand? |

| **Sans** : * woah, how'd you know? you _mustard_ read my mind! |

| **Lena** : No, it was your crappy puns. They were a dead giveaway. |

| **Sans** : * and here i thought you used magic. i feel like a real weenie now. |

| **Lena** : Sans... |

| **Sans** : * as much as i _relish_ talkin' to ya, i'm afraid i have to jet to work if i'm gonna _ketchup_ in time. |

| **Lena** : You use shortcuts and you know it! But alright. I'll see you later tonight. |

| **Sans** : * sounds good. |

There was a moment where she sat, staring at her phone, heart fluttering as she waited. The ellipses periodically showed up to show that he was typing something, but then it disappeared, meaning he'd deleted what he'd written. It made her curious, wondering what he'd wanted to say, but changed his mind. After a few minutes of this, she breathed a quiet sigh through her nose.

| **Lena** : Alright. I love you, bonehead. 3 |

For a few seconds, there was no reply, the ellipses floating on the bottom of her screen, taunting her as he typed and erased, typed and erased something, though she'd never know what.

| **Sans** : * you too babe. Later. |

A smile pulled at her lips and she sighed, pulling her phone to rest against her chest, screen brushing against her sternum. "Um, you done? Because I'd like to pay sometime this year..." Her eyes snapped up to meet the impatient grey eyes of a middle-aged man, a thick brow quirked over the rims of his black glasses. She felt her face flush as she set her phone down on the counter, nodding.

"Sorry about that!" A small basket full of items was shoved across the counter at her, and the roughness of it made her flinch just a bit. "D-did you find everything okay?" She asked, trying to make conversation, but the man was having none of it. His lips were a thin, flat line as his arms crossed tightly over his chest, hands gripping at his own forearms.

"It was fine," he said shortly, and she wanted so badly to try and crack a joke to lighten the mood, but figured it wouldn't be received well. Once she got him rung up and his items paid for, she carefully put them into a plastic bag and held it out for him to take. He did, snatching it away and looping his wrist through the handles, his cold grey eyes roaming over her judgmentally. "...Monster whore," he grumbled, ignoring her shocked expression as he strode out of the store.

' _...What just...?'_ She shook her head slightly, almost feeling dazed by it all, staring at the doorway he'd just left through. Whatever on earth had prompted a complete stranger to be so cruel to her, she didn't know...but she knew that she was starting to get tired of people speaking about her loved ones that way. Her teeth grit together quietly as she clenched her jaw, breathing a slow sigh out through her nose.

By the time that her shift was over and her replacement finally decided to show, she was already thinking about being at home, in her bed, or taking a shower. Maybe, she wondered, she could even find a movie that both brothers would fall in love with, and they could watch it together on the couch. Any excuse to lay close to her boyfriend and watch movies with her friend. She wasn't sure why, but she was tired. The lethargy hadn't faded since morning, and she wanted to just fall asleep and not wake up for a few weeks. And standing for so long had done a number on her. She could feel the muscles in her lower back and abdomen cramping already.

' _The first day's always rough!'_ she told herself, forcing a bit of a smile as she got behind the wheel of her SUV, pulling out of her parking space and out onto the road. _'Tomorrow is sure to be a better day._..'


	30. Chapter 30

**[[ Just a warning for any of my male readers who are grossed out by periods: might not wanna read this chapter. It's skippable, technically speaking, but I just wanted to write this as an excuse for Sans to be all nervous and overly protective and adorable. 333 This is the last chapter I'll be able to post for the weekend, most likely, unless they'll let me keep my laptop and write at the hospital. I love you guys, and just wanted to say that your comments have made me feel loads better already. Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

The first thing that Lena was aware of was the throbbing pain in her lower abdomen. Her simple back pain from being on her feet all day surely couldn't be this bad, right? Biting her lip slightly, she forced herself into a sitting position and froze, suddenly becoming fully aware of the wetness making her pajama bottoms cling to her skin. _'Oh no...'_ Bracing herself, she pulled the blankets back and groaned, seeing the crimson staining her pants as well as the sheets. "Great..." she grumbled, glancing between her lap and the door to her personal bathroom, judging the distance. Was it worth risking? She looked around and, seeing an abandoned hoodie, sent it a silent apology as she grabbed it and immediately shoved it between her legs. The undignified waddle to the bathroom was something she'd just as soon forget, but it was worth it if it meant getting out of the soiled clothes and into a hot shower. Thankful for the tile, she stripped her pants and underwear off, letting them drop carelessly onto the floor as the rest of her clothes soon followed. She stepped into the shower and slid the glass door closed, gripping onto the handle as pain assaulted her, making her double over and clutch at her abdomen.

"Shower, c'mon, Lena!" she told herself, wincing as she reached out and turned on the water as hot as she could stand it. The first few seconds were cold, making her yelp quietly as she tried to shimmy out of its way, but once she could feel the droplets hitting her feet had warmed up, she eagerly stepped into the spray. It was, without a doubt, heavenly. The hot water cascading down her chest and stomach already felt like it was easing the cramps, and the disgustingly cold feel of blood between her thighs was washed away. She moaned in absolute bliss, allowing her eyes to close as she basked in the soothing feeling. Outside her room she could hear Papyrus doing his usual routine of setting up for breakfast, and while she knew she needed to eat, the nausea that was clinging to her left her feeling less than hungry.

She wasn't sure just how long she'd stood there, allowing the water to run over her, but it came to an abrupt end when she heard a startled cry from outside. _'Maybe Pappy accidentally set fire to something...?'_ she wondered, but she had little time to think, because her bathroom door was soon thrown open, and she turned to face the wall, squeaking as Sans stood in the doorway, left eye a blaze of blue.

"Lena?! What happened?! Are you okay?!" His usually smooth voice was pitched much higher, his tone frantic. A gasp, and he seemed to realize her state of undress, and he covered his face with one hand, flailing with his other as he stammered out uselessly. She covered her chest with her arms, leg raised slightly to try and hide the rest of her 'important bits'.

"I'm f-fine! Get out, please!"

"B-but the blood...!"

Oh... Oh, _god_ , why? Her face flushed crimson and she closed her eyes, wishing that a hole could just open up underneath her and she could slip away. Far, far away.

"It's normal! I-I'm fine, I promise! Just... I-I'll explain when I get out! Just g-go!" He looked torn between doing as he was told and finding out what was wrong, but the pleading and thoroughly embarrassed expression on her face convinced him. He gulped (how can he do that without a throat?) and nodded, edging out of the door and closing it behind him. Once she heard the door close, she heaved a heavy sigh, biting her lip. This wasn't a conversation she'd ever seen herself having...maybe with her daughter one day, sure, but with her boyfriend? She groaned and let her head fall into her hands.

Today had only just started, and it was already the worst...

* * *

It was unusual for Sans to wake up before anyone. Usually, he was the last one up, dragging himself to the table half-asleep. Today had been different, though. When he left his room and only saw Papyrus, he wondered if maybe Lena was just taking a little extra time to get ready. He saw that a lot of human women liked to do their hair and make up for a new job. Maybe she was just doing that? _'I wonder what she looks like when she does...'_ Curiosity had gotten the better of him so, after telling Papyrus that he was going to get the human for breakfast, he'd excused himself from the kitchen to go to her room.

He wasn't expecting to see a puddle of blood on the very place she slept when he opened the door. His soul had hammered violently against his ribs, magic buzzing in an anxious panic within his bones as his eyelights, constricted to little more than pin pricks, swept across the room, looking for her. His nightmare had screamed at him, loud and clear, from the recesses of his mind, and then everything went blank, all except for the mental mantra that continued on repeat.

' _Find her. Find her. Find her. Find her. Find her. Find her. FIND HER! FIND HER! FIND-'_

He shook his skull, as if doing so would rid him of the lingering fears, and sat impatiently on the edge of her bed. His eyelights kept flickering over to the blood. She had said it was normal, but how could that possibly be? His knowledge of humans wasn't exactly the broadest, but he knew that blood was a sign of injury. _'I ought to know, after all those times fighting the kid-'_ Sockets slid closed and he sighed, bony tips of his phalanges tapping against femur. He was giving her the space she had requested, and he couldn't blame her for it, seeing as how she was in the shower when he'd stormed in...but he still found himself listening intently. The sound of the bathroom door creaking open made him jump to attention.

"Hey, um...y-you're still here..." she said awkwardly, glancing down at herself, which was hidden behind the bathroom door. "Can you do me a huge favor and wait outside my room for just a minute...?" He frowned, not wanting to leave her...but then the sudden realization that she was naked behind that door seemed to do the trick. He mumbled a quick apology and blipped out of the room, reappearing just behind her closed bedroom door in the hallway. He could hear her shuffling around inside her room, and he released a low sigh. He just felt so confounded! What on earth was wrong with her?

' _She didn't look like she was injured...'_ he mused, a blue flush taking over his cheekbones as he tried to think back to what he'd seen. The glass door had been fogged slightly with steam, but he could see her silhouette, and he didn't think he saw any wounds... From the redness of her cheeks to the curve of her thighs, he hadn't seen any bleeding spots, and- _'I am not thinking about her like this when there's something wrong!'_ Giving himself a firm mental scolding, he shook his skull just as the door opened. She stood there looking more than a little embarrassed, and he pushed his way into her room, closing the door behind himself and giving her a concerned once-over. She'd pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt that had "bone tired" written across the front, one he'd loaned to her that he just hadn't gotten back. He felt a small swell of pride every time he saw her in it, but that was trumped by his worry. He glanced over to the bed and found that the sheets had been stripped away, thrown into a basket along with a bloodied pair of pajamas. His soul clenched in his chest.

"What's going on?" he asked, feeling the slightest bit of irritation when she didn't respond right away. "Why are you bleeding? Did you get hurt? Who hurt you?!" His voice started to raise and he had to take a pause, pulling in a slow, cleansing breath to try and calm himself down.

"I-I'm fine-"

"If you're bleeding then you aren't fine-"

"Sans, please," she said quietly, and he fell silent, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited. She was gnawing on her bottom lip, probably trying to think of how to say whatever it was she was needing to say, and normally he'd find the action cute. But when you're as freaked out as he is, it's hard to think that way. He immediately assumed the worst.

"I'm... This is just really embarrassing, okay? I didn't think I'd have to have this talk with you...ever." He frowned. What talk? "Look, can... Can you just...let Brit explain it for me? I can't do this right now..."

"I don't wanna hear how you're doing from Brit," he said shortly, and she flinched from his tone, which he immediately regretted. She was blinking back tears and her soul was fluttering so nervously inside her chest that it affected his own. Fuck, he hadn't wanted to upset her...

"It's r-really humiliating...please..." He sighed heavily and shoved his hands into his pockets, grumbling for a moment before leaning over and pressing a toothy kiss to her cheek.

"Fine."

* * *

The phone call hadn't been the worst he'd ever had...but it was definitely not one he wanted to repeat. Ever. The woman had answered the phone laughing, the sounds of children joining her, and he growled into the receiver.

"W-wow, okay, um... Hey, bone-boy!" she said, snorting before she could even get out a greeting. He clenched his bony hand into a hard fist. "Lena texted me and asked me to explain a thing to you, so um... How much do you know about human biology?"

"Not a _skele_ ton... Why?" He heard her groan from the other side.

"Well because it's important, obviously. Okay, how to explain..." He was growing impatient.

"Look, just tell me what the hell's going on, okay? She was bleeding and she won't tell me what's wrong, and-"

"Woah, slow down! She's not hurt. It's a normal thing women go through."

"How can bleeding that much be normal?!" She snorted and he gave another growl, gritting his teeth in irritation. "It's not funny..."

"Lighten up, numbskull," she drawled, giving a heavy sigh. "Look, human women, from the ages of roughly twelve to fifty have to deal with this on a monthly basis. It's a part of our reproductive cycle. So it's _normal_." She then went into a very detailed explanation of a menstrual cycle, not because she'd wanted to necessarily, but because he kept asking so many questions. By the end of the fifteen minute long phone call, she was groaning, and he was more than just the slightest bit embarrassed.

"So she gets cramps, and I give her tylenol, right?"

"Midol is better, honestly, because it was made specifically for menstrual cramps, but yeah. Any pain killer works. And heat helps, too."

"...And the hormones cause mood swings and cravings?" The woman on the other end of the phone hummed.

"Yep. She usually likes chocolate and salty snacks, like chips. Fast food, too. You takin' notes, bone-boy?"

"Nah, it's _note_ a problem. I'll remember it all..." The very un-ladylike snort he heard through the phone made a grin pull up at the corners of his mouth. "Hey, uh...thanks for talkin' to me..." he muttered, then sighed as he realized. "I was a total ass, wasn't I? Shit, I should apologize..."

"Get to it, bub! Make sure my girl's well taken care of!" The line went dead, and Sans pulled the phone away with a chuckle, ending the call. _'Already planned on it.'_

* * *

Lena was thankful that she'd had the good sense to buy herself a nice waterproof mattress cover when she'd gotten her new bed, and the even better sense to buy an extra one. She only struggled a little with slipping it over the edges of her mattress, along with dressing her bed with new, non-bloodied sheets. She'd already gone ahead and put her old sheets and clothes into washer after giving them a little peroxide soak. _'Hopefully it'll come out...'_ She'd mourn the loss of the soft sheets if they ended up stained, but, then again, everyone needs a pair of crappy sheets for those weeks, right? A particularly powerful uterine contraction gripped her and she leaned forward against the mattress, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from making any pained noises.

The morning had royally sucked. After being found and interrogated by Sans, he went out to smoke a dog treat and call her friend Brit. He hadn't come back since, and that was well over an hour ago. _'Did he get grossed out...? God, do monsters even have periods? He's probably disgusted by me now.'_ Sighing, she rolled onto the bed and curled in on herself, hands pressing against her lower abdomen fervently in hopes of chasing the cramp off. It did little good, and it was with a groan that she grabbed her pillow and clung to it. A nap would be wonderful since she still felt exhausted, but the pain just wouldn't leave her, so try as she might to doze off, sleep just wouldn't come. _'Kill me now...'_

"SANS! WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN- WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MANY BAGS? WHERE DID YOU GO? WHAT IS THAT?" Judging from Papyrus' booming voice (poor thing had a little issue with volume control sometimes), Sans had returned from wherever it was he had gone off to. The door to her bedroom suddenly swung open and there the shorter skeleton stood, numerous plastic bags looped around his arms, and it took her a few seconds to get over the shock that he was actually _carrying_ them, and not using his magic. He knelt down and set them all on the floor, his expression caught in an excited smile, though, excited for what, she didn't know.

"Um...welcome back?" she said, though it was more of a question than an actual statement. She forced herself into a sitting position, pushing herself up with her arms and wincing at the sharp stab of pain in her lower abdomen. "What...is all of that?" He ignored her, instead bending to dig through the various bags. The first thing he withdrew was a heating pad, tearing the box open and hastily unwrapping the cord as he shuffled over to plug it in. He was thankful there was an outlet right by the bed, even if it meant unplugging her alarm clock.

"Brit filled me in, so I went and got some stuff that'll help," he said, sounding a bit unsure of himself, and glancing at the half dozen plastic bags with furrowed browbones. "I didn't know what kinda stuff you liked, so, uh...sorry. I just kinda got a bunch of everything." He immediately returned to searching through the bags, pulling out a bottle of water and a small box. He tore it open and pulled out the bottle of pills, opening it and, after reading the box, shook two out into his bony palm. "Here. This, uh, this'll help with the pain..." Lena blinked, surprised, and took the extended items silently. He sat and watched her for a moment, waiting, and she hastily uncapped the water and took the pills. "Sweet. Oh, uh, here!" Fumbling with it for a moment, he turned the dial attached to the cord of the heating pad and reached forward, flushing a light blue as he lifted her shirt just enough to expose her stomach.

"S-Sans, what-" she spluttered for a moment, quieting when he pressed the warm heating pad to her lower abdomen. Once it was situated to his liking, he pulled his hands away, tapping his bony phalanges together and filling the air with a soft clicking noise.

"...Brit told me, and I'm...sorry for bein' such an ass. For not havin' one, I'm pretty good at bein' one, huh?" She frowned and shook her head, but he just shrugged, chuckling quietly. "I was freaked out, but now I know, so...yeah. I'm sorry for _ovary_ acting."

"Sans, it's okay, really, you didn't kn- ..." Her eyes narrowed as he struggled to keep his snickering silent, and the expression of disbelief on her face did little to help him with that. " _You._ " He snorted loudly and chortled loudly, raising a hand to cover his face.

"S-sorry, that joke was pretty _bloody_ terrible, huh? Guess I need to look at getting some new material _periodically_." She reached out and slapped his shoulder, her face beet red, but she was shaking with ill-concealed giggles.

"I. CANNOT. Believe you. You're making fun of my suffering!" She stopped laughing when another wave of pain washed over her and she tensed, hand reaching down to try and rub her stomach through the heating pad.

"Hey, I'm laughing with you, not at you." She wanted to say how she hadn't been laughing, but he raised a brow at her, and she knew that he would only point out her ungraceful snorts and giggles. "Here, I um...Brit told me you like watching movies and all that during shark week-"

" _What?"_ she asked, sounding incredulous, already on the verge of laughing again.

"Shark week. ...'s what she called it. Says it makes it sound more badass and less embarrassing."

"Well, she isn't wrong..." Lena watched as Sans set up her laptop on the bedside table, opening up Netflix and moving it close enough that she could reach it to change what she was watching. Curiosity was finally beginning to get the better of her, and as she peered at the other bags, she made a small noise of question.

"Ah, that...yeah, well..." He flushed a faint blue and crossed the room to the remaining bags, dragging them over to the edge of the bed and opening them for her to look inside. There were so many different kinds of candy bars, bags of chips, and...was that a cinnamon bunny? "I didn't know what you'd want, so..." She looked at him with such an expression of awe that he chuckled, reaching up to scratch at the back of his skull. "What? It's no big deal, nothin' worth that...face..." He trailed off, and Lena only noticed then that she'd started crying, tears dripping from the corners of her eyes down her freckled cheeks. She sniffled and raised her hands to hastily wipe at her face.

"S-sorry!"

"Hey hey, it's okay, babe. Here, pick out a movie and lay down." It took a little gentle convincing before she finally did as he said, curling onto her side and flipping through Netflix. From the sound of things, Sans was going to keep her in bed all day (he even went ahead and called into work for her, and though she was unhappy about not going for her second day, the amount of concern he was showing made it difficult to worry too much about it). "Hm? What's 'Star Wars'...?" Sans asked, leaning over to peek at the screen, and she leveled him with a blank stare. "...What?"

"We're gonna watch Star Wars."

* * *

She'd expected for Sans to like the movie. She hadn't expected him to be so totally enthralled by it that he was staring at the screen with eyes as bright as stars. _'I knew he liked space, but geez...'_ It was incredibly adorable and endearing, and she didn't want to pull his attention away from it for anything. ...Unfortunately, the Midol he'd gotten for her was doing very little, and as she found herself being gripped by a particularly strong wave of pain, she groaned softly, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Mmm... Sorry, babe," Sans' voice rumbled softly, vibrating from his chest so deeply that she could feel it where he was pressed against her back. He nuzzled his nasal ridge against the side of her neck, and despite the comforting movement, it did little to actually soothe her pain. He paused for a moment, humming thoughtfully. "...Hey, lemme try somethin'." She made a small questioning noise and cracked an eye open to glance back at him, but she couldn't see much of his face. She could, however, feel his hand sliding between her skin and the heating pad. She drew in a short breath, about to ask him what he was doing, but then he felt the smooth tips of his fingers pressing carefully, methodically against her abdomen. He rubbed in small circles, pressing just hard enough to be effective, and she slumped back against him, giving a pleased hum. "Heh, that, uh, help any?" He chuckled as she gave a short nod.

It felt incredibly good to be able to help his human when she wasn't feeling well, and as she scooched herself back to press even closer to him, he decided that comforting and soothing her was worth the possible mood swings and missing a day of work. Her soul was humming happily along with his as they laid together, and though his attention remained mostly on the movie, he was still focused on her. He'd pick up how her body tensed when another cramp would come, and he'd be sure to massage her abdomen more gently until it faded. He waved a hand and his eye glowed blue as he lifted candy bars and other snacks to her hand, just so she wouldn't have to lean over the mattress to get them.

This amount of effort was unusual for him- _especially_ for him, but he didn't really mind it. The satisfaction of helping outweighed the exhaustion on his magic by far. ...And he certainly didn't mind getting to see and feel more of his precious human. The movie was forgotten for a moment as he diligently massaged her lower abdomen, feeling the soft flesh dip and give beneath his bony fingertips. She always spoke so poorly of her body, and though he wasn't the most familiar with human customs and standards, he knew that she was beautiful. Regardless of what her own species said or what shitty things they made her think about herself, he loved how soft she felt compared to him. A bit of his 'massage' might have turned into him simply feeling the softness of her tummy, but she didn't seem to notice it. He gently nudged his nasal ridge beneath her ear and inhaled her scent, eyesockets slipping closed.

"Thank you, Sans," she murmured, her voice soft and distant, like she was already half-asleep, and he wasn't the least bit surprised when he sounded similar.

"No prob, babe. Mind if I take a nap?" She shook her head and he grinned sleepily, pressing a toothy kiss to her shoulder before settling down and dozing off.

* * *

He very much hated being left out of the loop, but Papyrus wasn't one to barge in and demand things. That was more or less Undyne's job. So he had been patient when his brother had gone of, and he'd been patient when he came back with copious amounts of...whatever it all was, he had no idea. Breakfast ended up having to be put in the fridge, mostly, save for what he was able to eat himself. After a couple hours he sighed, pushing himself up from the couch and striding to the bedroom door that his brother had disappeared behind. If his brother was going to simply laze about all day, then he had another thing coming! He opened the door, mouth open as he prepared to scold him, but the words died in his non-existent throat.

Despite being a bit shorter, Sans was curled around Lena from behind, his knees tucked behind the human's, her head tucked under his chin, an arm protectively around her waist. He grinned and pulled out his phone, snapping a couple pictures and sending them to a few friends (no, definitely not Toriel, Alphys, Undyne, and Brit; nope, nope, why would you ever think that?). Once the photos were sent, he took a moment to just look. His brother's face was so open, relaxed, and peaceful and, with an even harder look, saw that his soul's rhythm was level and even, calm.

With a small chuckle and a bright smile, he closed the door silently behind him. A lazy day wouldn't hurt, he decided, especially if they looked so happy.

* * *

 **[[ See, how could I resist writing that? I imagine Sans getting all freaked out, then all scientific and 'why does that cause this? how come it does that? how? why?' and yeah... Anyway, hope you guys liked it! Be sure to leave me a comment to let me know, or PM me! And if you guys wanna keep up-to-date with announcements for the fic (and some rockin' fanart) then be sure to follow it on Tumblr! ( life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com )**

 **I love you guys a ton (a _skele_ ton harhar) and I'm looking forward to feeling better so I can write more for you guys! 33 ]]**


	31. Chapter 31

Waking up from a nap to find her curled up within his arms had two effects. First, he panicked, his mind racing to figure out just where the hell they were, who was around, what was happening. His constant state of vigilance (masked by procrastination and 'laziness') had slipped, and he'd fallen asleep in a place that was not his nor Papyrus' rooms. After that faded, though, and he realized where he was, there was a deep-seated warmth that filled his soul and, embarrassingly enough, he actually _glowed_. The soft rays of pale blue light glowed between his thick ribs, muted only slightly by the shirt he was wearing, and when he realized it was happening, it only made it worse. _'Shit, I haven't glowed in...'_ He tried to remember the last time, but it had been so incredibly long that he couldn't. A wide, genuine smile lit up his skull, and he gently nudged his nasal ridge against the back of the human's neck, burying his face in her hair so he could inhale her scent. He could smell her shampoo, a soft, floral scent, but even beneath that, the faint scent that was uniquely her own. It made him want to fall asleep again.

He spent the longest time simply looking at her, bony fingertips trailing along her arms, her shoulders, exploring that which he'd already seen. Her face scrunched up and her body tensed in her sleep, and he frowned, sliding his hand down to her tummy to methodically rub slow circles into her flesh. Gradually, she relaxed, giving a small, satisfied sigh, and his skull practically split with the width of his grin. Helping out his human was probably his favorite thing, right up there with reading Papyrus his bedtime stories.

"Sans?" The shorter skeleton flinched slightly, looking up to see Papyrus standing in Lena's bedroom doorway, looking apologetic. He carefully untangled himself from the human and got up, gesturing for his brother to follow him. The door closed silently behind them, Papyrus turned with his hands on his bony hips. "Where on earth had you gone to?! The human Lena was quite concerned, and she was not feeling well."

"Sorry, bro, I just uh...needed to go get a few things," he offered lamely, chuckling quietly at the unimpressed look on Papyrus' face. "Listen, uh... Lena's goin' through a human thing right now. She's not really sick, but she's gonna be at less than a hundred percent for the next few days." This was awkward. How was he going to explain this to his brother without confusing and embarrassing the both of them?

"Ah, you mean she is on her 'cycle', yes? Worry not, brother! I will be sure to stock up on the necessities!" The taller skeleton strode off into the kitchen, just in time for a loud beep from the oven to sound, signifying that their lunch was ready. The smell of tomato sauce and melted cheese filled the air as he opened the oven door, a pleased smile on his face as he reached in with his oven mitt-clad hands and pulled out the glass baking dish. Sans had followed close behind, an incredulous expression on his face.

"Wait, you know about that?"

"But of course I do, brother! The Great Papyrus is the greatest of friends, and as such, I elected to do what I could to learn about my human friends! So that I could be of help to them, no matter the situation! ...Sans, are you alright?" Papyrus asked carefully, one browbone raised as he looked at his brother. Sans' skull was a pale shade of blue, his eyesockets empty voids, and his mouth was set into a tight grin.

"Yeah, 'm fine, bro. Gonna just go to Grillby's for a bit."

"What? But I just made the human's lasagna!"

"Eh, 'm not too hungry, bro," he said with a shrug, and he didn't miss, but chose to ignore, the disappointed expression on his face. "Lena's takin' a nap right now. 'm sure she'd love havin' some of yer lasagna Paps."

"Sans, wait a moment-" Papyrus stepped forward, but Sans was already cutting a doorway beneath his feet, and before he had the chance to say another word, his older brother fell into the Void and vanished. "...Stubborn numbskull." Papyrus huffed and turned back to the kitchen, dedicating himself to tackling the problem at hand. He'd help the human with her troubles first. His brother, as stubborn as he was, would come to him in his own time.

* * *

As he fell through the void, he released an aggravated sigh, raising a hand to rub at the bony space between his eyesockets. _'Frickin' PAPS knew about it?'_ A groan escaped him, and he wished he had a wall in front of him to bang his head against. It was typical of his brother to go overboard when it came to his friends, but this? Was it really that out of the question, or was he just feeling bad that he hadn't thought to do the same...?

The familiar scene of Grillby's came into view slowly around him as he left the Void, and the normally cheerful chorus of voices calling his name only made a dull ache appear in his skull. He grinned and gave a wave to everyone, shuffling his slipper-clad feet across the worn wood floors. "So you finally show your face around here again..." A large furry arm looped around his shoulders, pulling him into a crushing hug. "Heh, well, y'know me, Dogamy. Can't stay away for too long. Grilbz is _too hot_ to resist." The room filled with laughter, and though he normally would have been amused by it, it did little to lighten his mood. He shrugged off the arm and gently pushed past the towering dog monster, heading toward the bar, but he was stopped by a far gentler paw landing on his shoulder.

"It has been a long time, my good friend. Are you alright?" Dogaressa asked, brows furrowed slightly in concern.

"Nah, just _bone tired_. Y'know how it is." She chuckled and nodded.

"I do. I take it that work has been a real _bitch_?" His sockets widened incredulously before he let out a loud snort, shoulders shaking with poorly-concealed laughter. Dogaressa looked fairly pleased with herself, and the rest of the dogs at the table were literally howling with laughter.

"Woah, now, didn't think you'd make a joke like that. You're pretty good..."

"I must be, if I got you to laugh!"

"Ayyyy, whaddaya talkin' about? I'm always laughin' and crackin' jokes," he drawled, and she held a paw to her muzzle, as if she wanted to say something. Chuckling, he ducked past the group of dogs and continued heading toward the bar. "Well I'll catch up with ya later. Got a _hot date_." He gestured toward the fire elemental standing behind the bar and Dogaressa giggled, waving him off. He sidled up to the bar and hopped up on his usual bar stool, releasing a slow, deep sigh.

"Hey, Grillbz. 's been way too long since I was here last," he said, glancing at the fire elemental's face. The flames around his cheeks were brighter, flickering a bit in that way that Sans knew meant he was smiling. A glass bottle of ketchup was slid across the bar smoothly, landing perfectly in the skeleton's bony hand. The clink of bones against the glass was soft, nearly lost in the bustling noise within the bar, but it was just so familiar that Sans couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He flicked off the cap and took a long draw from it, ignoring the playful gagging noises from a few patrons a few stools away from him. "So what's been happenin' around here since I've been gone?" A faint crackle of flames from high on the elemental's forehead, like he was raising an eyebrow. "Yeah...heheh. Guess a lot's been happenin' lately."

"Paps is workin' for Muffet now. I'd be worried if he had any blood for her to drain, but he seems to really like it," he said, chuckling as he spun the bottle on the polished wood surface of the bar. "Frisk's doin' okay, same as usual, more or less... n' Tori's been goin' to a lot more meetings lately. The kid's been comin' over to our place a lot. She's tryin' real hard to get the permission to open up her school to monsters and humans." Grillby gestured to the shelves behind the bar, tilting his head slightly in question, and Sans gave a roll of one shoulder. "Eh, sure, a few won't hurt." The fiery hands were surprisingly gentle as they grasped a tumbler glass from the rack, fingers nimbly skipping along a few bottles before grasping one, and an even wider grin spread across the skeleton's face. "You still remembered my favorite, huh?" he asked, glancing at the bottle of whiskey. The flames flared a bit as he set the glass and bottle down, gesturing in a wordless 'of course'. He poured the amber liquid into the glass and slid it in a similar fashion over to Sans, who picked it up and threw it back effortlessly. The alcohol burned slowly down a throat he didn't have and settled to a pleasant warmth in his soul.

"Hey, thanks, Grillbz. You always were the _hottest_ bar _tinder_ around." Grillby made a show of huffing, a small puff of smoke escaping from the flames at the crown of his head, and Sans chuckled. "Hey, I'm not blowin' _smoke_ up yer ass. You really are the best." There was a slight crackling noise and Sans laughed outright, holding the hand not holding the glass out in front of him in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright, _simmer down_ there!" He quieted his laughter, setting the glass down when the elemental gestured for him to do so and watching with a slight brightening of his eyelights that it was refilled. This time he sipped at it slowly, sitting in a comfortable silence. He'd missed the flame elemental. Sure, he wasn't much for words, but sometimes Sans wasn't either, and sometimes just having someone to listen was enough.

The silence was broken by fingers rapping softly against the bar top, and Sans glanced up at his friend to see him staring at him, an expectant air about him. The skeleton kept quiet, returning to his drink, and a soft, whispering voice filled the space between them. _"You neglected to mention the human woman. Miss Lena, I believe her name was?"_ Sans remained silent, a faint flush rising to his cheekbones. _"...Ah, I see. So you finally did it. I suppose I owe Gerson fifty gold."_

"You bet on us?!" he sputtered, embarrassed, and he sighed as he set his now empty glass none too gently on the bar again. Grillby refilled it with a soft, crackling chuckle, the glasses set upon his face glinting in the light. Sans scowled lightly. "Yer just as bad as Tori."

" _Perhaps. But if that is the worst I ever am, then I shall count my blessings and stars,"_ the elemental said smoothly, picking up a rag and a glass to dry. _"So, are you going to tell me about it, or must we sit here and pretend to dance around the issue?"_ Sans groaned; Grillby wasn't much of a talker...except when he decided to be an 'irritating prick' and nose into his business. Though truthfully he was just doing his job as a good friend, the skeleton didn't appreciate being teased.

"Nothin' to tell." A plume of annoyed smoke and Sans heaved a sigh. "We're...dating. Paps n' I moved into the spare rooms in her place- Because she was havin' trouble payin'!" he added quickly, noticing the way elemental's 'eyebrows' rose. "She got fired for associatin' with monsters... How could I _not_ help 'er out, y'know?" Grillby nodded slowly, setting aside the now dry tumbler and grabbing a champagne flute.

" _And, of course, that was your only reason for wanting to move in with her,"_ he said dryly (haha), looking at Sans in a way that just screamed sarcasm. He felt his cheekbones burn blue, and he pulled his hood up a bit to try and hide it. _"I am curious as to just how far ahead you're looking with her."_

"Whaddaya mean...?"

" _I mean,"_ Grillby began gently, setting aside the delicate crystal with a grace and gentleness unseen, _"how long do you see yourself being with her? Are you aiming for this to just be a fling? Or...are you, perhaps, looking to settle down?"_ Sans' eyesockets widened and he frowned, pulling the fur of his hood in closer to his face.

"I...dunno. I haven't really thought about it," he lied; he knew it, Grillby knew it, he knew Grillby knew it, the whole ridiculous circle. Sighing, he drained the last of his whiskey from the glass tumbler gripped tightly in his hand, setting it with a dull _thunk_ on the bar's polished wood top. "It's hard to think about somethin' like that. Thinkin' about the future in a positive light...'s not really my style."

" _I know, but perhaps now would be a good time to try?"_ Sans slid is glass over and, after a short pause, Grillby refilled it with the alcohol of choice, which Sans greedily swallowed down. _"I am aware of your difficulties in accepting positives, but you really ought to look at the future. If you want to spend the rest of your life with a human, there are things you need to consider."_

"Yeah, maybe..." he grumbled softly, staring down into his empty glass. He gestured to it, glancing up at the elemental's face, and Grillby released a small puff of smoke as he sighed. The glass was grabbed and taken beneath the bar, the sound of running water filling the space. He carefully returned the glass to the counter top, now full of cold water instead of the amber liquid. "Cut off already, huh? 'm not even buzzed yet..." Sans frowned but didn't argue it. There was no point in arguing with Grillby. Though it was difficult to tell just from a glance, he was one of the most stubborn monsters...in his own way.

"Hey, uh, didn't mean to eavesdrop, buuuut..." Hearing a voice, Sans glanced over his shoulder and saw the female bunny monster that was usually passed out in one of the first booths. She held a bottle of beer clutched tightly in one hand as she attempted to walk without staggering towards him. "Did he say...a _human_?" she asked, wrinkling up her nose at the word 'human' as if the words themselves left a disgusting taste in her mouth.

"Yeah, he did," he said shortly, turning back to the bar and sipping at his water.

"You're not really dating a _human_ , right?"

"...Yeah, actually, I am. What's it to ya?"

"Just that they're too...different! They're too different, Sans!" she whined, leaning forward to throw her arms around his shoulders. He didn't stop her, but he tensed under her hold, gritting his teeth faintly in irritation. "She wouldn't know how to please you like I could..." Her voice dipped down into a sultry tone, and he wanted to laugh at just how wrong a tree she was barking up right then. "Humans can't use magic anymore, so she can't give you a _good time_ like I could." Grillby glanced between the two before releasing another hissing sigh, slipping out through the door to the back room.

"Listen, you really oughta let me go. You're askin' the wrong person."

"Why're you so attached to a human anyway? Is it because they're different? You get a rush from it because she's alien?" His pleasant smile was slipping, and it was clear that she'd had a few too many, because she wasn't even bothering to try and hide how she felt about the situation. "Do you even know how to please her? Humans are different!" His hands gripped a bit more tightly at the edge of the bar counter, though she was far too distracted by talking and hanging all over him to notice. After a moment's pause where he said nothing, she swung herself over until she was sitting on his femur, one hand gripping his shoulder, the other raising to cup his cheek. "C'mon, Sansy~," she cooed, "Lemme be the girl to show you what a relationship's all about." He chuckled and shoved her to sit on the stool next to his, getting up.

"Sorry, _girly_ , but my _woman_ is waiting at home for me," he said pointedly, and she frowned drunkenly before bursting into tears. "Grillby, put it on my tab." The elemental still hadn't returned to the front of house, but his friend knew he was good for it. Besides, he was ready to get the hell out of there, and away from that horny rabbit. As he shuffled out into the chilly night air and the door closed behind him, he released a small sigh.

" _Do you even know how to please her?"_

A frown tugged at the corners of his mouth and he shoved his hands deeply into the pockets of his hoodie. _'I don't really know anything about her at all, do I...?'_ Even Papyrus had more knowledge than he did, and...though he hated to admit it, he was jealous. The thought that his brother, or anyone else for that matter, could take care of her better than he could was enough to make him anxious. _'I'll learn...'_ he vowed silently, scuffing his slippers across the cold ground as he made his way home.

* * *

Lena was still in her room when he returned, so Sans made a beeline straight for his room. He turned the thumb lock once the door was closed, and he pulled his laptop onto his bed. Where should he even begin? What was the best way to approach this sort of study? He supposed he could just ask Lena questions, but...the thought of doing that left him feeling a little flustered. "Okay, c'mon, you can do this," he mumbled, opening up his computer's browser and typing his first search topic into the bar.

" **Human Female Anatomy** "

He pressed enter and as photos and topics began to pop up, he felt his cheekbones burn as they glowed a faint blue in the darkness of his room. This was going to take longer than he thought...


	32. Chapter 32

**[[ Okay, this chapter ended up being a teeeeeensy bit longer than I expected it to. I considered splitting it up into two chapters, but eh. I figured, why not just keep it all together, as it was written, and give it to you all as one giant delicious morsel? So here. Take it. It's yours. Go on. Enjoy. 3 ]]**

* * *

6:37 AM

Sans scrolled endlessly through Google and came to a stark realization. _'This shit is fucking worthless.'_ A low groan escaped him as he pulled his hands away from his computer, raking his bony fingertips along the back of his skull, the quiet grating sound filling the room. He'd spent the entire time from when he'd gotten home from Grillby's searching, attempting to research and coming up empty-handed. ...Well, not _entirely_ empty. He'd picked up on a few things, but the facts were lost within the sea of endless bullshit that the internet so expertly provided.

His eyesockets blinked tiredly as he stifled a yawn, raising a hand to cover his mouth while he continued his scrolling. He came across an article called "The Legend of the Female Orgasm" and snorted bitterly, clicking on it a little harder than necessary out of frustration. Out of the thousands upon thousands of words he'd read, nothing felt remotely helpful. This article was sure to be another dud, just like the last fifty or so he'd read, but he would be damned if he was going to let that stop him. He said that he was going to do his best to learn, and he was going to let nothing stop him. As his dim eyelights trailed across the screen, reading, he came across a link to a video. _'Can't be worse than anything else I've seen...'_ Grumbling slightly, he clicked on the video, waiting for it to load. Almost immediately, his computer was warning him of viruses, and he huffed a sigh. Knowledge came at a steep price.

A human woman was lying on what looked to be a bed, knees pulled up by her head and legs spread wide, and Sans immediately felt his face burn. This...hadn't been what he'd expected. She giggled at the camera, giving a small, shy wave with her fingers, and someone behind the camera barked out an order, their voice strict and echoing in the otherwise silent room.

"Do it." She nodded shakily, biting her lip in that way so similar to Lena's that it made his soul flutter against his ribs. Her hands dragged down from being tangled in her long blonde tresses to her shoulders, over her chest, down her stomach, and-

"Hey, Sans, do you-"

The skeleton yelped loudly and closed his laptop with a loud 'snap', only briefly wondering for the safety of his screen. The sounds, however, continued to play from the speakers, and he flailed awkwardly for a few moments as he struggled to get it back open and pause the video. His bony fingertips kept skidding across the touchpad, missing, and with a small growl he slammed his index finger onto the 'mute' key at the top of his keyboard, and the sounds finally ceased. He slammed his computer shut again and shoved it under his pillow, turning to the doorway with a wide smile.

Fuck, of course it would have to be Lena who walked in at a time like this. _Fuck_ , of course he'd forgotten to re-lock his bedroom door after he'd made his midnight run to the kitchen for a bottle of ketchup.

"H-hey, babe! What're you doin' up so early?" he asked, trying so, so hard to be casual, but his voice was pitched up a bit higher than normal, and his words came out far too quickly. The human was watching him, her lips pulled down into the smallest of frowns, and something dark fluttered across her soul for a brief moment. Before he could really tell what it was, though, it was gone, and she was smiling at him brightly.

"Sorry, I, um, couldn't sleep. I was going to ask if you wanted to watch a movie, but...you seem to already be doing that." There was that dark flutter again, and he saw the brief expression of hurt flash across her eyes before she backed out of his room, slowly closing the door. "I'll just go back to bed. Sorry to bother you."

"No, hold on, wait a sec, babe. I can exp-" The door clicked shut and he felt his face burn with shame, "-lain... Fuck." He rubbed at his cervical vertebrae, sighing heavily. Well...that could have certainly gone better.

* * *

The door pulled closed and, as soon as she was alone in the hallway, Lena released a slow, silent sigh. As the air left her lungs, she felt a darkness take its place, and she bit her bottom lip as thoughts began to surface in her mind. She'd just caught her boyfriend watching porn. Okay. That wasn't an abnormal thing. She could remember Brit talking to her about that very same thing, when she and her husband had been dating. It was just a normal thing.

...Except that they weren't a _normal_ couple. Was it normal for monsters? From what she had seen so far, monsters were very serious when it came to their relationships. Dating wasn't a simple fling type of deal, like it was for a lot of humans she'd come across, and they were incredibly faithful to their partner. Was he regretting being with a human? Her hand resting on the doorknob twitched slightly, just for a moment, before she pulled away, turning and heading back into her room. Behind the safety of her own closed bedroom door her thoughts turned on her.

" _I bet the girl he was watching had a beautiful body. I bet she was thin, and petite, and pretty. She probably weighed one hundred and ten pounds, at most...heh."_

" _He's going to learn that even by human standards, I'm not good enough. He's gonna want a girl like in those videos. They're always so pretty. I could never measure up to them."_

" _I'm a human. He's a monster. I won't be able to do for him what another monster could... What if he decides he's made a mistake?"_

She shook her head, auburn tresses flying every which-way around her, and she closed her eyes tightly against the assault the thoughts were launching on her mind. No, Sans cared about her. He wouldn't discard her for something as petty as her looks...right? Doubt had been planted in her mind and it was quickly taking root. She groaned and flopped onto her bed, fingers curling tightly into the duvet as her legs pulled up close to her chest.

Maybe some sleep would do her some good...

* * *

| **Toriel** : Good morning my friends! I apologize most sincerely for sending a message so early in the morning, but I have something of utmost importance that I would like to discuss with you all. There is going to be a little get-together at the school tonight. Please dress in formal attire. The reason for the gathering is a surprise. I look forward to seeing you all there! 3 |

Papyrus read over the text again and again, feeling curious by the suddenness of it, but not wanting to do anything to attempt to ruin the surprise. He smiled and set his phone aside as small arms wrapped around his waist, and he could feel Frisk press their face against the back of his spine in a hug. He turned and pat the child on the head.

"GOOD MORNING, HUMAN FRISK!" he greeted cheerfully, ruffling the mop of brown hair. Frisk flinched slightly and pulled away, and Papyrus wasn't certain, but he swore he felt a bump on the child's head. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT, HUMAN? DID YOU GET A BOO-BOO?" The human shook their head, signing that they were fine, and he decided that it was best not to push it. "HM, VERY WELL. THEN, PERHAPS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASSIST ME IN MAKING THE PANCAKES?" Frisk nodded, paused, then shook their head, and Papyrus gave a small frown.

" _Waffles!"_ the child signed enthusiastically, and the skeleton grinned widely, eyesockets gleaming with joy.

"A MOST BRILLIANT IDEA, HUMAN! WAFFLES ARE FAR SUPERIOR TO THE PANCAKE BECAUSE OF THEIR COOKED-IN SYRUP RECEPTICLES!" Frisk returned his grin, seeming much more at ease, and the two of them set to work making breakfast. As he carefully measured out the ingredients, Frisk poured them into the bowl and, once the batter was mixed, the skeleton put his hands on his hips. "NOW WE ARE GOING TO 'KICK THESE UP A NOTCH', AS THE FAMOUS HUMAN CHEF ELMO LEGACY SAYS. WE ARE GOING TO ADD FILLINGS TO THESE WAFFLES! I KNOW! I KNOW, IT IS QUITE DARING, AND WILL PROVE TO BE AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE..." Frisk gasped loudly, covering their mouth with their hands while stifling giggles. "HOWEVER! MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS AND HIS MASTER ASSISTANT FRISK...ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE!" The small human clapped their hands and nodded in agreement, and the two of them darted about the kitchen in search of ingredients.

" _Do you think Uncle Sans would like waffles filled with ketchup?"_ Frisk asked, and Papyrus gave only a small grimace.

"I AM...CERTAIN THAT HE WOULD. HOWEVER, PERHAPS WE SHOULD SAVE THE KETCHUP FOR HIM TO USE ON THE OUTSIDE?" Frisk nodded and returned the plastic squeeze bottle to the fridge, and Papyrus took the opportunity while the appliance door was open to snag a small carton of blueberries from one of the shelves inside. Those, along with a bag of chocolate chips, sat on the counter next to the stove, and Papyrus gave a hearty "NYEH HEH HEH" of laughter. Everything was perfectly set. A hot griddle was coated with sizzling butter, and the two of them worked out a system where Papyrus poured the waffle batter and Frisk would delicately sprinkle the berries or chips. They ended up having so much fun that they got a little carried away, and soon there were four plates stacked incredibly high with steaming waffles. They were separated by type, naturally, and with two plates of blueberry waffles in hand, Papyrus made his way into the dining room to set them on the table. "I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MY LAZYBONES BROTHER IS NOT UP YET!" he groaned, turning just in time to catch one of the remaining plates of chocolate chip waffles that Frisk was struggling to carry. It was stacked nearly as tall as they were! "THE HUMAN LENA IS ALSO LATE GETTING UP TODAY...HOW STRANGE," he mumbled loudly, frowning as he raised a gloved hand to tap thoughtfully at his chin.

" _Maybe we should let them sleep in?"_

"HMMM...YOU MAY BE RIGHT, HUMAN. BUT! MY BROTHER HAS BEEN ACTING STRANGELY, AND I DO NOT INTEND TO LET HIM HIDE AWAY FOREVER!" He strode back into the kitchen and pulled down four plates and cups, handing them to the child to set up as he grabbed the silverware. "AND WE ALSO HAVE TO GET READY FOR HER MAJESTY'S IMPROMPTU GATHERING. FORMAL DRESS! HOW EXCITING!" With the table carefully set and bottles of ketchup and maple syrup set out, Papyrus stood looking over the table with his hands on his hips triumphantly. Frisk hopped over to stand next to him, imitating his pose, and the skeleton grinned and ruffled the child's hair. "I SHALL GO AND WAKE MY BROTHER. WOULD YOU MIND WAKING UP THE HUMAN LENA?" A nod was all the child gave before they bounded off toward the woman's bedroom door, knocking gently and bouncing on the heels of their feet while they waited for her to answer.

* * *

| **Brit** : Are you serious?! What the fuck! |

| **Lena** : I don't know... And I mean I could be wrong, but it sure sounded like it... |

| **Brit** `: Yeah, no. Porn is unmistakable. |

| **Brit** : I just didn't see him as the type. |

| **Brit** : ...Do you think that being attracted to humans is like...some kind of freaky kink in the monster world? |

| **Lena** : I don't know! ...Maybe? There aren't a lot of monster-human relationships... |

| **Lena** : And there's still a few monsters who hate humans. |

| **Brit** : ...Was he jerkin it? |

| **Lena** : Oh my god I am not talking about this with you anymore |

| **Brit** : No no I'm being totally serious! Was he doing anything like that when you walked in? |

| **Lena** : No... At least, I don't think so... Oh my god, this is embarrassing to even talk about. Why are we talking about this? |

| **Brit** : Because you were upset and I gotta take care of my bae. 3 |

| **Lena** : Shut up. |

| **Brit** : Look look I know this is weird to think about, but maybe he was just...experimenting? |

| **Brit** : I mean, he said himself that he hasn't been with another human before, right? |

| **Lena** : Yeah...? |

| **Brit** : Wellllll maybe he was trying to figure stuff out. Y'know, like...research. |

| **Brit** : Looking at porn for scientific purposes. |

| **Brit** : That totally sounds like something he'd do. He's a huge nerd like that. |

| **Lena** : ...Yeah, that's true. I don't know why I didn't think of that. |

| **Brit** : Because you were too busy thinking badly about your smokin' hot bod? |

| **Lena** : Shut up, no one asked you. 3 |

| **Brit** : Well hey, I know it's awkward, but you should just...talk to him about it, y'know? Don't let him fall into any portals and get away either! |

| **Lena** : They're not portals. Technically, they're doorways cut through space leading into the Void. |

| **Brit** : "Blahblahblah I'm boning a nerd blah blah blah" is literally all I read just now. |

| **Brit** : You should ask him to slip into YOUR Void. ;) |

| **Lena** : I AM BLOCKING YOUR NUMBER |

The flustered woman looked up from her phone as a soft knocking sound came from her door and, giving a small sigh, tapped out a quick "talk to you later" before she shoved the device into the pocket of her sweatpants. "Coming!" she called out, sliding off the edge of her bed and padding barefooted across the carpet to her bedroom door. She pulled it open and was startled by hands being shoved in her face. "W-woah!" Frisk huffed and pulled their hands away, signing much more slowly, as if they were taking great pains to enunciate every word with as much emphasis as possible.

" _Pap. And. I. Made. Waffles!"_ A smile pulled up at the corners of her lips and she reached forward, holding her arms out in a gesture of asking for a hug. The child immediately jumped at her, arms thrown around her middle and squeezing her, even though they didn't quite reach all the way around.

"Oh yeah? Waffles sound great! You guys are the best!" Frisk pulled away and struck a heroic pose (one learned from Papyrus, no doubt) and the woman giggled, reaching out to ruffle their brown hair. "You guys go ahead and get started. I'm gonna wash up and I'll be right there, okay?" Seemingly satisfied by this, the child bounded off toward the kitchen, disappearing around the corner. The air smelled strongly of vanilla and fluffy waffles and blueberries, and she could hear Papyrus' booming voice coming from what she knew to be Sans' room down the hall. A fond smile made its way onto her face and she sighed blissfully, happy that her little home was so busy and full of life.

"AH, GOOD MORNING, HUMAN! I TRUST YOUR SLEEP WAS RESTFUL?" She was suddenly pulled from her warm and fuzzy thoughts by a very hard, bony arm wrapping around her shoulders, and she found herself face-first into Papyrus' chest plate.

"M-morning!" she gasped out, gently pushing away and sending him a bright smile, despite having been nearly crushed. "I slept alright... Thank you for making breakfast for everyone, again." He waved the thanks away, giving his typical 'think nothing of it' response. "I'll be there as soon as I wash up, okay?"

"YES! GO AND GET READY, FOR WE HAVE MUCH TO DO TODAY! UNDYNE HAS TEXTED ME SAYING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE GOING OUT SHOPPING WITH THEM!" The look on her face must have been surprised, because he chuckled and his grin widened. "I TAKE IT THIS IS THE FIRST YOU HAVE HEARD OF IT?"

"Maybe...but it's fine, I don't mind! Going shopping with Undyne and Alphys is always an uh...an _experience_." That was probably the nicest way for her to put it, all things considered. And Papyrus knew it.

"YES, BUT OF COURSE! SHE IS A VERY AGGRESSIVE SHOPPER! AND SHE IS SURE TO FIND THE BEST DRESS FOR ALPHYS TO WEAR TO THE MYSTERIOUS SECRETIVE GATHERING TONIGHT!" She chuckled and nodded, edging her way to the bathroom so she could wash.

"Well, you guys go ahead. I'll be right there." The skeleton bounded off in a very child-like manner, eager as a puppy, and she watched from the doorway fondly for a moment until he also disappeared from her sight. She sighed and stepped into the bathroom, turning on the faucet and splashing her face with the cold water. It helped her feel just a little more awake after a night of such difficulty sleeping. _'And a pretty rude awakening this morning...'_ She shook her head to dispel the thoughts and ran her wet fingers through her hair, trying in vain to get the tangled mane into some sort of order. Her index finger snagged on a particularly large knot and she winced, withdrawing her hand and huffing a sigh.

She'd have time to get herself together later, before the party. Right now, there were waffles calling her name. Smiling at the thought, she walked out of the bathroom with her head in the clouds, waffles filling her mind. She bumped into something hard and hissed quietly. She hadn't expected whatever it was to grunt in response. Her eyes flew open and she looked down to find Sans, rubbing his forehead. Her own hand was rubbing at her collarbone, where it had collided, and she felt the awkward tension already beginning to grow. His eyesockets widened when he realized she was there and averted to the side, no doubt already trying to come up with some excuse.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming about waffles..." she answered honestly, the slightest of flushes gracing her cheeks when he snorted back a laugh. "Hey, they smell amazing, and I didn't eat much yesterday!" She defended herself even though she knew it wasn't necessary. His slippers shuffled backward against the hardwood and she reached out to grasp his hand, delighting in the faint azure glow that rose to his cheekbones. How was she going to do this? She didn't want to talk too much about what she'd accidentally walked in on, but she wanted to assure him that she wasn't upset (well...not _too_ upset, anyway). As her mind struggled to find the words, her mouth opened and she blurted out the very first thing that came across it. "W-will you eat breakfast with me?!" He looked surprised for a moment, then he was laughing, loud guffaws that sounded far more relieved than they had any right to be. Her cheeks darkened with embarrassment as she withdrew her hand. "I-I mean-" Her hand was quickly recaptured and he threaded his bony fingers between her own, giving a small tug as he stepped closer to close the gap between then.

"Sure, babe," he muttered, his voice just a tad lower than the tone he usually spoke, and god, why did that do funny things to her insides? He leaned up on his toes to press his teeth to her lips in a skeleton kiss, and she felt her eyes slip closed, getting lost in it for a moment. It ended far too soon, and she blinked dazedly for a few seconds. Chuckling, he gestured down the hall toward the dining room, his skull practically split in two by his grin. "Well? _Orange juice_ gonna lead the way? You did ask me out, after all. Or are you gonna sit there and _waffle_ for a bit?" She snorted and reached out to slap weakly at his shoulder, trying to hide her smile but failing. "My point," he declared, sounding very proud of himself, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah... C'mon, there's an entire stack in there with my name on them, and I don't want them to get cold!"

"A whole stack, huh?" he drawled, glancing over at her as they started the short walk to the dining area. "I bet I could eat more than you could."

"You don't have the _stomach_ for it. Better not say things like that... Unless _syrup_ to the challenge." The awful jokes were well worth the gleeful expression on his face and the kiss on the cheek.

* * *

"Alright, NERDS! This is the plan." Undyne stood with her hands on her hips, staring viciously up at the sign for the small store they were standing in front of. Alphys was holding nervously onto the hem of her shirt, giving small tugs whenever she would get too loud. "Babe, you're gonna go with Lena and decide what kind of dress you guys want. I'm gonna go talk to an old friend and see if he can't custom fit them for ya."

"Sure, I think we can mange that...right?" the human asked, glancing at the yellow lizard monster with just the faintest bit of uncertainty. Alphys gulped and nodded, pointing a claw toward the store.

"Y-yeah! Th-the guy who runs this place is, uh... H-he's an old friend of Undyne's. It'll be f-fine!"

"Sweet. Now get yer asses in there and find something great!"

With that astounding pep-talk, Lena led Alphys into the store, finding the dress section fairly quickly and taking a look. They were...definitely not made for humans. That was the first thing that stood out to her. One particular dress on display was gorgeous, made of different layers of silk and accents of crushed velvet, all in varying shades of purple and violet. It was built for someone much thinner than Lena or Alphys, obviously, and definitely for a monster; there were six arm holes. She reached out to touch the dress, the fabric looking so silky it just begged for someone to feel it, but the little spider brooch turned toward her and batted her hand away. It was only with a small yelp that she jerked back, laughing nervously when Alphys asked her what was wrong.

"Man, this store makes me feel tiny..." she mumbled, glancing up at the incredibly high ceilings with a feeling of near-intimidation. The clothing racks were also fairly tall, and she found herself even needing to stand on her tip-toes for a few of them closer to the walls. Undyne's loud voice came from somewhere else in the store and, with a small sigh, Lena submitted to actually doing what she came for and searching for a dress.

She searched through rack after rack, dress after dress, and though there were a few that had caught her eye, she couldn't really see herself in any of them. In her defense, though, it was hard to imagine yourself in something that was designed for someone from another species. Between the multiple neck holes, oddly-shaped corsets, and hysterically short skirts, she was starting to give up. Sighing, she stepped between two of the clothing racks that were pushed close together and wound up running right into somebody's...chest?

"Ah, sorry... I guess I didn't see you there." Standing before her was a towering...giraffe-like monster? His neck was far longer than "human" proportions, as were his arms and legs. Gods, his legs- _'How can something be so tall?! This isn't even fair...'_ The voice was surprisingly small, considering the stature of the monster it was coming from, and she found herself staring for a moment before she realized it.

"Oh, n-no! I wasn't looking where I was going, I'm sorry!" The monster chuckled softly and craned his incredibly long neck downward, a smile curving up on his muzzle.

"Really...? And here I thought I was hard to miss." Lena stammered for a moment and he reached a hand out to rest on her shoulder, and she was surprised by just how large it was. She felt so...small. "It's fine, don't worry about it. Undyne told me to come help you out..." So this was apparently the old friend of Undyne's she'd talked about. For some reason Lena had expected someone a bit...louder. "Have you found anything you like?"

"Ah... W-well, there were a few I liked..." He raised a brow and cast her a knowing glance downward, and she shrugged her shoulders a bit.

"Just liked...?" he asked, and she nodded slowly. "Well, that won't do. I heard from Undyne that you are going to be in the company of Her Majesty. A woman such as yourself deserves to be dressed in something she loves." The flattery (could she even call it that?) made her blush a bit, and he reached out and pat her on the head, his large hand ruffling her already messy hair. "Don't worry about it, I'll make something that suits you."

"Oh, y-you don't have to do that, really-"

"No," he said suddenly, his eyes flashing, aglow with a faint orange light that made his already warm brown eyes appear even warmer. A spark of _determination,_ and she knew already that there was no sense in trying to fight him. "So, tell me about your mate- er...partner." Lena's face flushed a deep red at the word 'mate', though for what reasons, she wasn't entirely certain, and she bit her lip.

"Wh-why do you need to know about them...?"

"So I can make something they will like, obviously." Oh. That did certainly seem like it'd be the obvious answer.

"I-I don't think he really cares much about fashion..." she said quietly, thinking of all the hoodies and sweat pants she constantly saw her boyfriend wearing. The towering monster hummed thoughtfully and shook his head, reaching an abnormally long arm up to brush his chestnut-colored bangs out from in front of his eyes.

"It's not about that...just trust me. Who is your partner?" he asked, his voice so gentle that she felt herself even _wanting_ to answer. Unfortunately, she'd never get the chance.

"She's shackin' up with Sans, if you can believe it!"

"Undyne!" the human wailed, hands raising to cover her face in her mortification.

"I see you've met my old pal," the ex-Captain of the Royal Guard said with a grin, reaching out to punch the towering monster on the shoulder, who flinched and shied away. "This is Kupanda, one of the tallest guys from the Underground and a pretty decent tailor." The monster- Kupanda, as his name apparently was- gave a small chuckle, his high cheekbones flushing a faint orange in what appeared to be a blush. Lena huffed, her cheeks puffed slightly in irritation as she glanced between the two towering monsters.

"So...Sans, huh?" he asked, and the human's face only served to redden further. "I never talked to him too much, but I've talked to Papyrus...and he certainly likes talking about his brother." Scratching at his chin thoughtfully, he glanced over the entire section of dresses they were surrounded by, furrowing his brow. "None of these will do." With that, he reached down and, with a hand far too gentle for his size, grasped her wrist and began to lead her through the store.

"Ha! See? Told ya he could hook us up! C'mon babe!" Undyne picked up Alphys with one arm, holding her against her hip as she walked and the yellow lizard monster sputtered and blushed. When they'd caught up to the taller monster's long-legged stride, he was already knelt down with a fabric measuring tape in hand. His gentle voice gave out simple commands, "Hold your arms out," "Chin up, please," "Straighten your back." Lena did her best to follow, all while trying to ignore the eyebrows being raised from across the room, courtesy of Undyne. After getting their measurements (Alphys' included), he disappeared into the back room, door closing quietly behind him.

"So...what? He's gonna just...go back there and make two dresses?"

"Yup," Undyne grunted, glancing up at the human with the brow over her eyepatch raised. "Why? Is that a problem?"

"No, just...I don't know. I guess I just have a hard time believing he can do that so quickly." Undyne's lips curled back to reveal her fangs in a sharp-edged grin.

"You'll see. Give him a half hour, max, and he'll be walking out with the perfect thing." Sighing, Lena smiled and nodded in agreement (arguing with Undyne was never a good idea), preparing herself for a long wait in the small clothing store.

* * *

There was just something about walking around a clothing store geared toward monsters that raised an awful lot of questions in her mind. Like, for example, what kind of monster would need a pair of pants with five leg holes and seventeen pockets? Who would the person be that needed a shirt with eleven holes cut out in it? How come there weren't more pants with holes cut into the back for their tails? Did monsters not wear footed pajamas? Why weren't there any socks? These were the pertinent questions that were running rampant in her mind as she found herself waiting.

Undyne huffed from her seat on the floor near the changing rooms and flicked her wrist up to look at her watch. It had been thirty-one minutes since Kupanda had disappeared into the back room. "What the fuck's taking so long?!" she growled, tapping her foot (more like stomping really) against the floor as Alphys tried to placate her with anime on her phone. "Geez, at least I already got my suit tailored... I could just leave you two nerds here..." The way she threw her arm around Alphys and nuzzled against her cheek, however, made it obvious that she wouldn't ever do such a thing.

Lena smiled at the fuzzy display of affection, surprised to see such a tender side to the brash and noisy monster. It seemed like she and Alphys were both incredibly close, and a part of the human felt jealous for it. Just a little bit. _'I wonder if they've bonded... Alphys did mention it before.'_ Frowning in thought, she ran her fingertips over what looked like a studded leather speedo (um, what?) before she realized what it was, pulling her hand back with a start. It was that exact moment that the door opened, and Undyne jumped to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at the taller monster.

"You took too long!"

"And you're impatient," he said coolly, and Lena was certain that she'd go off on him, who would dare say something like that to Undyne of all people? She just huffed and punched his shoulder, having to reach up to do so, and she swat away the hand that he pat her on the head with. "I've finished them. I just need you two to try them on so that I can fix any fitting issues." He stepped aside and Undyne stormed into the back room, Alphys following closely behind. The human lingered back a bit, brows furrowed, and it was with a gentle smile that he reached out and nudged her into the room. "I promise you that it's safe in here." She gave him an uneasy smile and he ruffled her hair, giving her head a departing pat before crossing the room in a few steps, pulling up a short teal-colored dress. Obviously, it was for Alphys, judging from the length of it alone. It was poofy at the skirt, and Lena was certain that she'd end up looking like a yellow fairytale princess in it. The color seemed to strike Undyne oddly, and her cheeks turned a mottled purple as she looked away, glaring at the wall. Alphys, on the other hand, was gushing, her feet tapping excitedly against the tile floor as she looked at it from all sides. "C-can I try it on now?" she asked eagerly, and her only answer was being handed the garment. She vanished into the changing room.

"You alright, Undyne?" Lena asked, frowning a bit at how suddenly the monster had gone quiet. She bristled and sent Kupanda a glare, to which he merely chuckled.

"I'm fine." Her one visible eye widened impossibly as the changing room door opened, and Alphys stepped out. The color complimented her skin color amazingly, and the way it fit was flawless. "Woah..." Alphys flushed a dark red and smoothed out the skirt of her dress, giving a little turn so it billowed out around her. Disney, eat your heart out- this was the next princess.

"D-does it l-look okay...?" Undyne swallowed hard and nodded, giving a wide grin that had Alphys squirming. "O-oh...g-good..."

"Alright," the towering male monster's voice suddenly cut in, and the other two monsters seemed to snap out of whatever trance they were under. "Your turn." He held out a dark blue bundle and, giving a shy nod, Lena stepped forward to take it. "I apologize if it does not fit well. I do not usually make clothing for humans..." He seemed genuinely apologetic, enough so that she shook her head quickly, giving him a bright smile.

"I'm sure it's fine. I'll go try it on now..."

* * *

The school auditorium was filled to the brim with monsters and humans alike, bustling with activity and movement. On the stage, there was a large set of speakers set up, and a sad-looking little ghost monster was apparently the DJ for the party. The music was loud, but not too terribly so, and it melded well with the murmur of conversation that swept across the room. These types of gatherings usually weren't his cup of tea but, for Tori, he'd be willing to stand by the wall in a crowded room.

"SANS, STOP PULLING AT YOUR TIE!" Papyrus huffed and leaned down to, once again, straighten the bright blue bowtie around Sans' neck. He shrugged his shoulders lazily, reaching up to tug at it again just as Papyrus had finished, and a gloved hand smacked his away. "HONESTLY, BROTHER, BEING DRESSED UP FORMALLY WILL NOT BE THE DEATH OF YOU."

"Only got one HP bro, who knows? I might just keel over and _tie-_ "

"I SWEAR TO GOD, SANS-"

"This kinda thing just doesn't _suit_ me."

"I'M LEAVING YOU. GOODBYE, SANS. I WILL BE AT THE REFRESHMENTS STATION IF YOU NEED ME. DO NOT FOLLOW IF YOU HAVE MORE PUNS." Sans chuckled as his brother stormed off across the room, brushing past a group of humans that had congregated. They frowned slightly but, otherwise, did or said nothing about the larger monster's fit, which made Sans feel a small amount of relief. The humans here were, for the most part, okay with monsters...on the surface, anyway. There were a few souls in the room with a lot more LOVE than he'd care to see, especially because his friends were going to be in the same room. ...And his girlfriend.

Speaking of whom, the trio had left the apartment a good many hours ago but, from what Sans could see, they weren't there yet. A part of him wanted to be worried, that perhaps something awful had happened on the way. There were a lot more humans on the outskirts of the city than usual, and the amount of security around the city's limits was increased. Whatever this gathering was for, it was obviously a big deal, to monsters and humans both.

His musing was interrupted as someone collided rather heavily with his shoulder, and he struggled to keep his magic in check as he braced himself for an attack. "Oops! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" a sweet voice cried, and Sans glanced up to see a human woman. Her hair was straight as a razor's edge, brushing past her hips in a tempting length, brushing against the hem of her ruby red blouse. Her skirt was a too-tight black number that cut off just above her knees, and she smelled of some expensive perfume. What caught his attention most was her eyes, though. Icy blue, sharp and narrow, he felt a chill run through his soul just looking into them. Grinning uneasily, he shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey, 's no skin off my bones," he drawled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his black dress pants. "Maybe lay off of the punch, eh kiddo?" The woman narrowed her eyes at him for a fraction of a second but then she was smiling, and it was too big, her lips too red, her teeth too white, and he hated it.

"You're funny. I wouldn't drink the punch here, anyway!" Her voice was sickeningly sweet, but the words hit home, and Sans felt his hands clench into fists in his pockets. He didn't need to look at her soul to tell that she wasn't good news. "Sorry, I haven't even introduced myself!" She held her hand out, giving a sweet, sweet smile. "I'm Kathleen." He eyed her hand for a moment before taking it, giving it a single solid shake and withdrawing his hand.

"Sans. Sans the Skeleton."

"Sans? What an odd name!" He grit his teeth as he smiled wider. "You wouldn't happen to know what this gathering is for, would you?" she asked, but without giving him a chance to answer, she pressed on. "I happened to peek at the guest list and saw that someone I knew was attending... Do you know a human woman named Lena?" His soul fluttered at the mere mention of her name, but he steeled himself, shrugging. "Because I think that you do..."

"Yeah? That's nice," he said flatly, scuffing his dress shoes across the floor as he attempted to step around her. She stepped forward, though, grabbing his hand and pulling them together like they were dancing. His eyesockets narrowed slightly, though his grin stayed firmly in place.

"She used to work at the school I teach for, but... Well, I heard that she was caught doing unprofessional things in her free time..." Her smile sharpened, and Sans felt himself stiffen. She knew an awful lot for being a co-worker. "I heard..." she said quietly, leaning closer so that she was whispering, "...that she was whoring herself out to monsters." His eye flashed a bright blue and his hand that she was holding tightened. But as the smugness of her expression and the cruel smirk that was toying at her ruby-painted lips reached him, he understood.

He couldn't do a thing about it. With so many humans around, how would it look for him to react unkindly toward a human? Everything Toriel and Asgore had worked so hard for would be ruined. Drawing in a deep breath, the lights faded from his eyesockets and he chuckled.

"Not nice to say things like that about people. I thought all monsters were taught that growin' up, but I guess not." Her ice blue eyes narrowed to mere slits and she pushed herself away from him, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I had more to discuss with you, but..." Smiling cruelly, she glanced just over Sans' shoulder. "It seems I've run out of time." Her heels clicked loudly as she walked around him, brushing a hand across his shoulder, and he never wanted to pull away as badly as he did right then. "Enjoy the party~!"

Once she was gone, he sighed heavily, feeling his magic buzzing anxiously in his bones, begging for an out. He'd wanted to hurt her. More than he'd wanted to hurt anyone in a long time, he'd wanted to hurt that human, and that scared him a bit. "Maybe a dog treat'll calm me down..." he mumbled, hand searching through his pocket for the baggie of treats and his lighter. The only way outside was the way Kathleen came and, though he hated the thought of even _seeing_ her again, he needed some air. Something to calm his soul. Turning on his heel, he started heading in that direction.

Something made him stop dead in his tracks, though, and, if he had lungs, he would have felt like his breath had been taken away from him.

A human- _his human_ \- was walking towards him, looking around nervously. She never was a huge fan of large crowds, and he could sympathize, but he was so, so glad that they both decided to attend after all. She saw him and instantly her face brightened, then suddenly turned unsure. Her soul was fluttering within her, and he felt his doing the same. She was wearing a dress, he knew that; but, if he didn't know any better, he would have thought that she'd taken a piece of the night sky and wrapped it around herself. The dark blue fabric was so dark that, in places, it almost looked black, and it seemed to glow with little white and pale blue dots of light, the soft, cold glow just like the stars he adored so much. The light reflected itself off of her eyes, and _stars_ , he believed that there must've been green hued universes locked inside them, they were so beautiful. He wanted to get lost in them, to lean close and fall in and never, ever come back.

"Sans...?" Her voice was difficult to hear over the bustle of movement around them, but he could hear it. He could hear that voice through a hurricane, through hell and back. She looked so unsure, her cheeks painted in that pretty shade of red that she got whenever she was embarrassed, and it just made her look all the more gorgeous in his eyes. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist in a hug, nuzzling his nasal ridge against her collarbone affectionately, and she pulled in a short breath before relaxing. "So you...like it?" she asked, and he wanted to grab her by the face and tell her that he didn't just like it, he adored it, and her, and everything about that moment. Reaching up to cup her cheeks gently in his bony palms, he brushed his thumbs across her heated cheekbones as he leaned up on his toes to press a toothy kiss to her lips.

"I love it," he murmured, voice dipping down into a lower pitch, and he chuckled when the skin beneath his thumbs turned an even darker shade. He could stand there and make her blush all night and he'd be content, just watching her reactions to him, to his words, to his soul, _stars_ , he loved this girl-

"If I may have your attention," Toriel's voice suddenly said loudly, and, when Sans looked up, she was standing on the stage with a microphone. Papyrus and Frisk sidled up next to Sans, and Undyne and Alphys found them and they stood together, looking up at the Queen's nervous and excited expression. The spotlight was shining down on her crushed velvet dress, her white fur shining in stark contrast against the deep violet, and Lena thought, again, how beautiful she was. An arm tightened around her waist and she glanced down to see Sans, still looking at her, and she felt herself smile. "I would first like to thank you all for coming here tonight. Life as of late has been nothing but meetings and delegations and debates, and I am thankful that we can all come together like this in celebration." A wolf howled from somewhere and the regal monster chuckled. From off-stage Asgore stepped into the light, as well, wearing his royal attire and his crown situated on top of his head. She regarded him with a warm smile, and continued speaking. "It has been a dream of mine, ever since I was young, that I wanted to be a teacher...and opening my school here on the surface and teaching monsters has been wonderful. However...being able to have my child there with me..." Her voice began to get watery and she raised a paw to wipe at her eyes, and Frisk's hand grasped tightly at Sans' sleeve. "I am pleased to announce that I have been granted the proper permissions...to teach not only monsters, but also humans." There was a burst of noise from the sudden cheering of several monsters and humans, and Frisk tore their hand away from Sans and ran across the auditorium, scrambling up onto the stage and tackling the Queen in an embrace. Toriel laughed and weeped happily, her large arms wrapping around Frisk in a hug.

"She did it," Sans mumbled, his mouth spread wide in a genuine grin. Undyne and Papyrus were cheering loudly, Alphys trying to keep them from knocking into the people standing around them (victory dances were apparently a thing that needed to happen). Lena felt herself get teary as well, and she excitedly leaned down to give Sans another hug, laughing in joy and relief, just like so many others in the room were doing.

* * *

The rest of the night was a flurry of dancing and drinking and singing, and more dancing, and celebration. Sans noticed that several of the humans had already left, but he couldn't bring himself to care about that when he had the most beautiful thing dancing with him in his arms.

"Do you mind if I cut in for a moment?" Sans glanced up to see Toriel standing there, the fur on her cheeks still wet with tears, but a wide smile spread across her muzzle.

"Oh, sure," Lena said, stepping back to let Toriel take her place, but was surprised when Toriel stepped closer to her, sweeping her into a hug. She only floundered for a moment before she returned it.

"Oh, Lena, my dear child...thank you so much." Confused, Lena opened her mouth to ask why she was being thanked, but Toriel would have none of that. "It is thanks to your kindness that I was able to find the determination to keep trying... It had seemed so hopeless, and Frisk would have been stuck in that human school. But now..." She pulled away and gave the human a warm smile, hands holding onto her shoulders. "He will be much happier at my school with his new teacher. ...That is, if you are willing to take the job."

"...Wh-what?" Lena's eyes went wide, already rimming with tears, and the monster nodded toward Asgore, who had moved to stand beside them. He handed her a folder which she then held out to the human.

"Your internship was complete, my dear! They did not properly keep track of your time there, and the amount of work you put forth... Several of your co-workers came forward and vouched for your professionalism. This is your degree, printed out for you." Lena sniffed loudly, raising a hand to rub at her eyes, her other hand shakily reaching out to touch the folder. She hesitated, as if she were afraid it would disappear if she actually touched it, and Toriel pressed it into her trembling hand. "Welcome to the School of Taobh, Miss Lena," she said with a wink, and she was hardly surprised at all when the human threw her arms around the taller monster's neck, giggling tearfully into her shoulder.

Outside of the happy little display, Sans looked in fondly, eyelights softening as he looked on. He didn't need to look very hard at all to see just how brightly her soul was glowing and he didn't even mind when his own began to do the same, small bits of faint blue light escaping from the neck of his suit. A rather large voice hummed beside him, and he glanced up to see Asgore standing there, wringing his paws. Sans narrowed his eyesockets at him and the mighty King flinched.

"...What you did for her," the skeleton said quietly, eyes returning to the happy human, who was now being showered in congratulations and praise from their friends, "You made her happy, and that makes me happy. So...thanks, Fluffybuns." Asgore relaxed visibly and gave a deep, rumbling chuckle.

"It made Tori just as happy, so it was my pleasure." The two of them stood watching the loves of their lives, souls vibrant and bright, and felt just a little bit of the darkness from the past begin to fade away.

* * *

 **[[ AUGH THIS CHAPTER ENDED UP BEING SO LONG BUT I STILL LOVE HOW IT TURNED OUT! LEAVE ME COMMENTS, PLEASE, AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. LOVE YOU ALL! ]]**


	33. Chapter 33

"Okay, okay, you can do this! You can do this. You can do this..." Green eyes stared into their reflection in the mirror, framed by freckled cheeks and untamed red hair, and Lena sighed as she felt her confidence wilting. _'I've never taught before, not officially, anyway. What if I mess up? What if my students hate me?'_ She reached up and smacked her cheeks gently, the faint sting just enough to pull her from her concerned thoughts. It was the first day of her being an official teacher at the School of Taobh, and she was a bundle of nervousness. She'd had a difficult time sleeping the night before and, despite all the 'sound of rain' youtube videos and warm milk and Nyquil, she'd woken up extra early and extra tired. She'd already agonized over what to wear, worried that a sweater and jeans were too casual, even though Toriel had already assured her that what she normally wore was just fine. Despite the queen's reassuring words, she still wound up going through her entire closet, her bed now covered with blouses and sweaters still on hangers. She flipped off her private bathroom's light with a huff and stepped carefully around the various pairs of pants left in heaps on the floor, the end result of her trying on and shimmying out of them in a vain attempt of trying to find ones that fit. Many of them were starting to get a little too tight, and she lamented the fact that soon enough she'd have to go clothes shopping. A voice in the back of her mind warned her to not say anything about the trip because, surely, Undyne would catch wind of it, and then she'd have hell to pay, even though the intentions behind that hell were good.

"Heya, mornin' ba-" The lazily drawling voice startled her so badly that she whirled around to face the doorway, hand clutching at her chest as if that alone could stop the rocketing heartrate. Sans' eyesockets widened a bit and he chuckled. "Woah there, sorry. Didn't mean to scare ya outta yer skin..." The faintly annoyed expression she shot him only made his grin widen, and he rolled his shoulders in a lazy shrug. "You're awfully jumpy this mornin'. Got somethin' on yer mind?"

"No. I...I'm a little nervous, that's all," she murmured softly, and he gave a small grunt, stepping forward and sliding an arm around her waist easily.

"Hey, you're gonna do great. It's a job your soul's suited for," he reassured, his soul buzzing happily in his chest at the little smile she gave him. "Workin' yourself up won't do you any good." She nodded, knowing he was right, and he took the opportunity of her head being so slightly lowered to give her a toothy peck on the cheek, delighting in the way her skin flushed a faint red. "Now c'mon, we're goin' to Tori's for breakfast. Last little celebratory deal before you all head off." He removed his arm slowly and instead snagged one of her hands in his, leading her out of her room and into the living room.

"GOOD MORNING, HUMAN! WE WERE BEGINNING TO WORRY THAT YOU WERE NOT EVER GOING TO BE READY." Papyrus was standing there by the front door, all smiles as usual, but seeing the human, he paused. Then, wordlessly, he crossed the living room in a few long strides and leaned down to wrap his arms around her shoulders, the faintest wisps of orange light glowing around his open eyesockets. "There is no need to be anxious, human. Her Majesty would not have chosen you for such a task if she did not know that you were overly qualified for it." After a few seconds of recovery from the unexpectedly soft tone to the larger skeleton's voice, she nodded, smiling brightly.

"Thanks, Pappy. I'll do my best!" He leaned forward and bonked his teeth against her forehead, making an obnoxiously loud "MWAH" sound as he pulled away, and Lena was certain she imagined the tightened grip around her hand.

"I KNOW THAT YOU WILL!" he said encouragingly, and she felt her heart swell in her chest at the sentiment. Papyrus was the type of person to believe in the best of everyone, but still, having him say that he believes in her was incredibly touching. She was about to open her mouth and say as much, but she suddenly found herself being pulled by the hand out the front door. "SANS, WHY ARE YOU IN SUCH A HURRY?" The human frowned a bit and had to walk just a little bit faster in order to keep up, but when she caught a glance at the small scowl pulling at the corners of his mouth, she dug her heels in and forced them to stop.

"H-hey, um, Papyrus? Do you think you could go ahead?" she asked hesitantly as the large skeleton caught up with them. Frowning slightly, he raised a browbone in question, to which she sent him a reassuring look. "I just need to talk to Sans about something."

"OH. I SEE. WELL, I SHALL BE UP AHEAD! ... DO NOT TAKE TOO LONG. _WINK._ " He made an exaggerated motion of winking and even, bless his soul, said it out loud. Lena tried not to laugh as she waved him off. Once he was out of sight, she turned to Sans, who had taken to kicking at the ground with his slippers. His hand hadn't removed itself from hers.

"Is everything okay..? You're acting kinda weird," she asked carefully, giving his bony hand a small squeeze. After a bit of gentle coaxing, he looked at her, his eyelights dim and his browbones furrowed.

"It's stupid..." A blue flush rose to his cheekbones and he glanced away from her again, embarrassment making it difficult to hold her gaze. "Don't really care much for other people makin' yer soul look like that."

"My soul? ...Look like what? Did I do somethi-"

"No, you didn't...do anything. Nobody did. Just... 's stupid. Let's just drop it," he grumbled, and, though she wanted to press on, fell quiet and mumbled a small 'okay'. Her expression must have betrayed her concern because, with a loud sigh, Sans reached up to cup her cheek with his free hand, thumb gently brushing over the freckles there. "I just like bein' the one that makes your soul glow like that..."

Oh.

...Oh!

"Sans...are you jealous?" she asked incredulously. He didn't respond, but the way he jerked his hand away from her cheek and shoved it into his pocket was answer enough. She couldn't help herself. The idea was just so absurd that she started laughing Next to her, she could hear him growling under his breath, muttering how it wasn't funny, but it only made her laugh even harder. After a few moments, when she was able to get her laughter under control, she raised her free hand to brush away the tears of mirth that had gathered at the corners of her eyes.

"...Ya done?" he asked grumpily, and she might've thought he was mad if it weren't for the small smile he shot her when he squeezed her hand. She nodded and, after a brief pause for thought, leaned to give him a kiss right between his eyesockets, humming softly.

"You don't need to worry, Sans. My soul belongs to you," she said, giving him a warm smile. "We'd better hurry if we want breakfast!" His skull was a wash of blue, and she simply rolled her eyes and pulled him to Toriel's apartment.

"Good morning, my friends! It is so wonderful that you all could make it!" Toriel was all smiles and so obviously overjoyed and, truthfully, it was infectious. Even if she wasn't already over the moon about her new job, simply being in the queen's company would have made her feel such. Of that, she was certain, not to mention Papyrus' usual enthusiasm. Frisk bounded from the breakfast table over to the door the instant they were in the door, throwing their arms around Lena's waist in a hug.

"Hey, kiddo! Are you excited for your first day of school?" Such a typical question, and it technically wasn't their first day of school- just at this new school- but none of that mattered with the way the child practically glowed with happiness, nodding eagerly. "Me, too. You've still got my back, right?" Frisk nodded and gave her a salute, to which she giggled and pat them on the head.

As they all sat down to breakfast, the room was filled with a bright cheerfulness, and even though Sans was making far fewer puns and jokes than usual, everyone was busy talking so excitedly that it wasn't noticed too much. They all feasted on quiche and pancakes and cinnamon bunnies, and the magic that Toriel used to cook the food fortified their souls, leaving Lena feeling much better about her concerns about the day. When she offered to help with the dishes she was shooed out of the kitchen, two brown paper bags being shoved into her hands.

"You must hurry, my dear, lest you be late for your first day!" the goat monster chided gently, and the human gave a quick nod, glancing at the clock. It was still early, but she was right. If she didn't hurry, then she really would be late, and she couldn't let that happen! She headed toward the door, brown bags in hand, and pulled it open.

"C'mon, Frisk! On to our first day!" The eagerness of the child's nod made the butterflies in her stomach dance happily, and a wide, bright smile spread across her lips. "We'll see you guys later!" Frisk slung their backpack across their shoulder and ran out with a wave, practically tugging Lena out after them. She sent Sans a little wave and smile, and then they were out the door. They climbed into her SUV and started toward the school, her heart and soul alight with hope.

* * *

Never in his life had five words shaken him so soundly. From the crest of his skull to the bottoms of his slipper-covered feet, he felt terribly unsettled, his magic a noisy buzz within the marrow of his bones, as if they were suddenly filled with a thousand angry hornets. It was a feeling that he wasn't quite so familiar with, but the lack of control over his magic was making it difficult for him to keep his usual calm and laid-back facade firmly in place.

But what the hell else was to be expected of him when his girlfriend just said her soul was his?

" _My soul belongs to you."_ That was what she said, and fuck, if it didn't shake him down to his very core, he didn't know what else would. _'She didn't know what she was sayin','_ he told himself firmly, reminding himself that humans often said something along those lines. 'My heart is yours' was a common thing for people in a relationship to say. ...Still, that did very little to calm the frantic fluttering of his soul. The warm bursts of magic fighting against his ribs was uncomfortable, and his mind kept finding its way back to her, distracting him. He wasn't able to focus on eating at all, the actions mechanic. If you'd asked him what he had for breakfast, he couldn't tell you, so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even know.

He went to his shift at the nice cream parlor, but everything was a blur. Between customers and bratty, screaming children and dozens of scoops of ice cream, he was barely present. His mind was elsewhere, and, by the end of his shift, he was so eager to get out of there that he cut a doorway right under his feet, in front of all the customers. He plummeted through the Void and landed neatly on the couch back in Lena's- in _their_ apartment, his eyesockets staring, unblinking, straight ahead of him.

' _She and Alphys did talk about it... Does she... Could she have been saying...?'_ Surely he was over-thinking this, right? There was no way that what he was thinking was really what she'd meant. It was just a simple phrase. A poor choice of words, but a figure of speech, nonetheless. There was no way she would want to actually do something like that with him...to _bond_ with him. Even thinking the word made his magic surge, a blush erupting over his face as his hand flew up to cover it, despite being home alone. Papyrus was gone at work. Mondays were his short days, where he only worked one job. Usually, he'd spend the time with Lena as soon as he got home from work, but now she had a job, too.

"What is wrong with me?" he groaned to the empty room, leaning his skull back against the back of the couch and closing his eyesockets. He was getting ahead of himself. He knew that. Still, he couldn't help the little bits of hope that struggled to bloom within his soul. The hope scared him, but it felt oddly comforting, after feeling so hopeless for so long. _'Should I talk to her about it...?'_ He shook the thought off, shaking his skull to try and rid it of the idea. If he could hardly stand still with her saying what she did, how would he manage to get through asking her if she wanted to be his...?

He couldn't.

Sighing, Sans reached for the remote and turned on the tv, immediately flicking through channels. It was less an action of looking for something to watch and more of just being something to do, to expend a little of his anxious energy.

A news channel flicked by and, curiously, he turned back to it.

' _-at roughly five o'clock this morning, a local human was found dead in an alley on the west end of Tristin. Known as a more infamous part of town for crime circles, police are now investigating the murder. There has been no confirmation, but it seems as though the cause of death is by immolation. Experts believe that the fire used was actually magical in nature, but we won't know for certain until the autopsy is completed.'_

A faint sense of unease nipped at Sans' mind but, as the news anchor moved on to the recent sports report, he changed the channel. As disconcerting as it was, he had bigger things to think about...

Like what to do with this sudden surge of longing deep within his soul.

* * *

There was something incredibly heart-warming about being able to walk Frisk to their class, hand-in-hand. The child was a close friend now, but something about it made her think to her friend, and the possibility of having a child of her own some day. She'd never admit to feeling envious of the queen, but she was. The relationship she shared with Frisk was one that she'd never experienced herself as a child, and one that she felt a longing for, deep in her soul, to experience as a mom. _'That won't happen for a long time...'_ So she was happy having the chance to get what she could for the time being.

As they approached the door that was to Frisk's classroom, she took just a moment to fully realize that this wasn't just theirs, but _hers_ now, too. Her dream of being a teacher was finally being realized and, even though she was standing right outside her very own classroom, she was still having a little difficulty believing that it was really true. Surely she would wake up and all of this was just a magnificent dream...right?

The small tug on her arm pulled her attention from her thoughts and down to the child who was still clutched tightly at her hand, a small questioning frown on their lips. She smiled and raised her free hand to pat them on the head, then pulled the door in front of them open. The chatter of children could be heard faintly from outside but, with the door now open, she could hear it more properly. Frisk immediately broke away from her and ran into the room, tackling a small yellow dinosaur-looking monster in a striped sweater. They looked familiar...

" _Hi Monster Kid!"_ Ahh, Lena could remember the armless monster child now!

"Yo, Frisk! You're in my class, huh? That's AWESOME!" Frisk nodded eagerly and immediately slid into the empty desk next to Monster Kid's. Taking in a slow breath to steady her nerves, she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, the soft click resonating loudly enough to draw the attention of her students.

"Good morning!" she said cheerfully, giving the children a small, if only a little nervous, smile. "My name's Miss O'Brennike, but you all can just call me Lena! Today's my first day teaching, so try to go easy on me." Her little joke made a few of the students giggle, and her smile widened. "Now I know the roll-call sheet has your names, but I'd like for you all to introduce yourselves. We can each take turns saying our names and a little something about ourselves! I'll start." She moved to stand behind her desk, hands clasped behind her. "My name is Lena, and I love cinnamon bunnies!" A small rabbit monster near the front perked up at that, a smile gracing their small, shy-looking face.

"Psh, we can _see_ that," a voice came from the back of the room, and Lena managed to conceal the sting she felt from it easily.

"Alright! Who would like to go next?" Frisk's hand shot up and they walked to the whiteboard, grabbing a bright red dry erase marker and writing in big, neat letters.

" _I'm Frisk and my favorite flavor Nice Cream is strawberry."_ Lena giggled as the child capped the marker and gave a small bow before returning to their seat. Monster Kid stood up next, nearly falling out of his chair in his enthusiasm, but he quickly righted himself and faced the class with a wide grin.

"Yo! I'm Monster Kid but, uh, you can just call me MK. Someday, I wanna grow up and be a cool guy like Papyrus!" His eagerness was astounding, and a few students laughed and teased as he quickly sat down, though he seemed unaffected by it. Lena reminded herself to tell the tall skeleton about that when they got home. He was sure to be pleased.

Each of the students went, one by one, and Lena found herself smiling sincerely at them. Some seemed a bit uneasy with speaking in front of a group, a few were shy about speaking to her, but all of them gave it a chance, and for that she was grateful. One student, however, hadn't stood, and after a few moments of silence, the other students began glancing back towards him. He was sitting with his legs stretched out under his desk, chair leaned back precariously, staring out the window pointedly ignoring her. Lena cleared her throat gently to try and get his attention and, when that didn't work, glanced down at the sheet of names on her desk.

"Ven?" His long, pointed ears perked slightly at that, and she at least knew she got the right name. "Would you like to introduce yourself?" The child scowled, his yellow eyes narrowing as he sent a glare her way.

"Not to _you_ ," he barked, and a few of the other children began whispering to themselves. Frisk stood and signed something at him quickly, their hands practically a blur. Monster Kid was quick to hop up onto his chair and frown back at the older child.

"Yeah, that's right, yo! That's not cool!" Sneering, the child (who resembled a bat somewhat, if Lena actually thought about it) stomped his yellow boots loudly against the linoleum.

"It's bad enough having more of _them_ coming to our school now!" he growled, and a couple students closest to him began edging away fearfully. Monster Kid's frown deepened, mouth parting and showing the faintest hint of his sharp teeth. "Filthy _humans_."

The armless little dinosaur-child suddenly barreled at the back of the classroom at an amazing speed, sending his head straight into Ven's stomach. The wind knocked out of him, he toppled back out of his chair and hit the floor with a loud clatter. Lena felt her chest tighten as panic began to set in. This wasn't at all how she was hoping for her first day to go.

"P-please, no fighting!" she cried, but her words were lost as the rest of her students began shouting over one another, cheering for the two participants in the sudden brawl. Frisk jumped out of their seat and weaved between the desks to the back of the classroom, jumping between the two monsters and holding them apart.

" _No fighting!"_ they pleaded, hand movements deliberate despite how rushed they were, and Ven barked a hollow laugh.

"I figured you'd jump to defend her. Humans are all the same!" Frisk's back was turned to her, but if the way the older child tensed was anything to go by, their expression was not a happy one. "Why do we have to have some dirty _human_ as our teacher anyway?!"

"That's enough!" Finally raising her voice, the room quieted and all eyes flew to the front of the room, where Lena stood, hands balled into fists at her sides. Ven's bright yellow eyes flickered down to her hands, eyes widening for a brief moment before they narrowed again into dangerous slits. She stepped around her desk and walked between the rows of seats toward the back, the group of children parting to let her pass. Monster Kid looked up at her apologetically, his tail curled between his legs, much like a puppy that's been scolded. "The first rule of my classroom is that there will be _no fighting,_ " she said firmly, her voice conveying an amount of confidence and control that she wasn't exactly feeling. She could hear MK muttering an apology, ducking their head slightly, but Ven simply glared at her, his ears lowering as he bared his fangs.

"I don't have to listen to _you_! I'm not afraid of you!" he shouted, a faint lilac glow beginning to emanate around his head. The air crackled weakly with energy and the room was filled with a few sharp gasps. Using magic against one-another was forbidden.

"And I'm not afraid of you," she said gently, despite the fact that her heart was ramming uncomfortably against her ribcage. She stepped closer to him, and he immediately shrank back a bit, continuing to shout insults at her. This continued until he felt his back press against the wall, and his eyes widened.

"I could hurt you! _I could kill you!"_ he yelled, and despite his words, his voice trembled. She took another step closer and a look of fear flashed over his expression.

"You need to go to the principal's office." She frowned down at him, waiting for him to move, but he didn't. After a few tense moments, she reached a hand out, palm up, "Do you want me to take you-" The movement was faster than her eye could register, but he reached out and slapped her hand away, claws digging into her skin. A sharp pain blossomed across the back of her extended hand and she recoiled, pulling it back to cradle against her chest. Ven was trembling visibly now, his eyes wide and glassy with fear. For someone who spoke out so much, he really was just a terrified little boy, wasn't he?

"What is going on?!" Lena whirled around to see a fellow teacher at the door, a large bear monster wearing a snowflake print sweater. She quickly hid her hand behind her back, using her uninjured one to gesture to the two boys.

"Monster Kid and Ven had a little bit of a spat. I was just about to ask them to go see the principal." The bear, Ersa, if she remembered correctly, frowned at the children and gestured with a large, furry paw.

"Come along, then, boys. I expected better of you..." Seemingly broken from whatever trance he was in, Ven quickly shoved his way past Frisk and a few other children, rushing out into the hallway as Monster Kid trailed woefully behind. Once the two of them were gone Frisk tugged on the human woman's hand, frowning in concern. Shaken, Lena glanced around the room. _'These children need me to lead them...'_ Giving their hand a small squeeze, she summoned up a smile and pat them on the head.

"Alright, well, let's go ahead and get down to work!"

* * *

The rest of the day was a breeze, in comparison. She wasn't really exactly sure what she was supposed to do after the falling out between two of her students, but moving on to talk about human history was the quickest way to get things back on track. Even though it had been some time since the monsters had surfaced, there were few who had strayed far beyond the area surrounding Mt. Ebott. Bringing up the world map and comparing it to the size of the approximate size of the Underground, Lena led into a passionate discussion about the world.

"S-so the world is r-r-really that big...?" the small, shy little rabbit monster squeaked from the front, and Lena nodded, smiling brightly.

"It really is. I haven't even seen too much of the world. Aside from a few short trips to my family's home country, I've mostly lived here." A few monsters thrust their hands up into the air eagerly, though a few talked without being called on.

"What's your home country?"

"How big is your family?"

"Why'd you decide to live here?"

Chuckling, she held her hands up in front of her, "One at a time, please!" When the room fell quieter again, she gave a thoughtful hum. "My family's home country is here," she paused, tapping at the map, "in a country called Ireland. The language they speak there is Irish, and it's much different than the English we're speaking now." This brought on a new onslaught of questions, but she shushed them gently, moving onto the next topic. "My family is...rather large. I'm the youngest of ten siblings- three older sister, and six older brothers! My mom and dad have a lot of siblings, too, so that means I have a _lot_ of cousins..." Shrugging her shoulders, she turned back to the map when a small...bird-type monster?...jumped up.

"Hey, you didn't answer my question!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! Ask me again," she said gently, giggling at the pouting expression on the child's face. (How they could manage that with a beak, she had no idea.)

"Why did you decide to live here?" they asked with more emphasis, clearly frustrated at having to repeat themselves, and she opened her mouth to answer...but was interrupted by a flurry of hands.

" _So they could date my uncle Sans!"_ The room erupted into giggles and 'oooh's and Lena felt her cheeks burn faintly in embarrassment.

"Actually," she cut in, "I used to live with my best friend and her family in Tristin but, after getting to know Frisk and his friends and family, I decided to move to Taobh." The bird-like monster child seemed satisfied by this, and a quiet chatter fell over the classroom.

"How come you don't live with your family?" a little spider monster asked suddenly, and Lena felt a stab of an unwelcome feeling cut through her as the eyes of her students turned to her once again.

"Well... Humans, once they get old enough, move out of their parents homes to live on their own. Though most of my siblings do still live with our parents, we have a...difference of opinions that just made living on my own much easier." She could already see the questions beginning to arise and she turned around to face the whiteboard. "Now, I'd like for you all to take the print outs of the world map that I handed out and write about a place you'd like to visit. Do some research and tell me about the things you'd like to see and do while you're there." A couple groans chorused from them and she turned, hands on her hips. "Hey, now, this'll be a fun way to slowly start expanding your world! In fact, I'll do it, too!"

The shrill sound of a bell cut off anything else she had to say and the children all quickly hopped up from their seats and fled out the door. The lunch bell would not be denied. She gave a small sigh and smiled out at the messy desks, only taking the time now that she was alone to glance down at her throbbing hand. There were four shallow cuts along the back that, amazingly enough, didn't bleed much. It was already dried and beginning to try and heal over. _'I suppose it's my own fault for getting too close...'_ She sighed and picked up her brown sack lunch set on the edge of her desk.

" _Lena"_ it said written neatly across the front in beautiful handwriting, and the little heart next to it had been colored in green marker (by Frisk, she had no doubt). It brought a bright smile to her face and she couldn't be too upset about the day's events.

The faculty room was sure to be full of teachers grading papers or enjoying their own lunches together, and while she had every right to join them, a part of her felt...well, too nervous. So she found herself walking outside to the playground, where a few groups of children were sitting on the concrete eating. She picked a bench up against the side of the building and sat down, letting her eyes linger just for a few moments on the children at play. She was surprised to see Ven out there along with them, since he hadn't returned to class. _'Not like he'd want to with me there...'_

"I didn't expect to see you here." She looked up- way up- and saw a familiar face, smiling and giving a small wave.

"Hey, Kupanda! I didn't know you...erm, worked here?" she half stated half asked, and he shook his head slightly.

"I got called because my friend was causing some trouble," the tall monster said, staring out at the groups of children with a small, thoughtful frown. Her eyes followed his and, raising a brow faintly, mumbled something the monster didn't quite hear. "Sorry? Way up here, hard to hear things sometimes..." He chuckled and moved to sit on the ground next to the bench. She quickly tried to scoot over so he could sit as well but he waved her off.

"S-sorry... Are you talking about Ven, by chance?" He nodded and, after a moment, sighed softly.

"I want to apologize on his behalf. He...is a difficult child. And his feelings about humans are not quite as friendly as most."

"Yeah, I figured that out..." she mumbled, idly rubbing at her injured hand, and Kupanda's amber eyes narrowed as he moved to grab her hand gently.

"Did he...?"

"I-it's alright, really! I got too close, and-" He sighed, laying his far larger hand across the back of her own. A strange, faint green glow began to emanate from his palm, and a tingling buzz of magic warmed the skin on the back of her hand. He glanced up at her when her hand gave the slightest twitch, expecting a fearful glance, but instead found her eyes focusing on his magic with a curious expression. Smiling slightly to himself, he allowed the magic to fade and withdrew his hand, watching as she ran her fingertips over the now mostly-healed marks along her skin. They'd faded to simple green-tinged scars and, when she looked up at him questioningly, he chuckled.

"It'll just be like that for the next few days, until it heals...though, it may be sooner. From what I can tell, your soul is particularly...receptive...to green magic." They sat in a small comfortable silence after that, Lena eating her lunch and the monster beside her looking out at Ven playing with a group of children. He teased them and yelled out what sounded like pretty obvious bluffs but was, from what they could tell, harmless otherwise. _'I'd say all bark and no bite, but...'_ She glanced at her hand and figured that wouldn't be quite accurate. "He feels bad about that, you know," he said suddenly, surprising her. "He might not act like it, and he'd never say it, but he does. He's not a bad kid, just..."

"I know," she agreed, and the relieved smile Kupanda sent her made her wonder how many people he tried explaining this very thing to...people who perhaps didn't take it so well. "I don't think he's a bad kid. Rough around the edges, maybe...but I'll prove him wrong. I'll show him that not all humans are bad."

From the determined glint in the human's green eyes, he had no doubt that somehow, someway, she'd succeed.

* * *

Ven was incredibly quiet for the rest of the day and, aside from barking a few harsh comments at a couple classmates who started talking about his 'guardian', all was well. By the time the final bell rang and the children began filing out of the classroom, bags in tow, Lena was more than ready to go home. As she gathered her papers and role-call sheet in her bag, she was nearly bowled over by Frisk and Monster Kid rushing up to her desk. "Woah, what's the rush?"

" _Monster Kid is coming home with us today!"_ Frisk signed excitedly, the monster next to them nodding with vigor. Smiling, she slung her bag over her shoulder and started walking toward the door, motioning for them to follow her.

"Is that so? You live close by anyway, right, MK?" she asked curiously, and the little monster nodded again.

"Yeah! It's super awesome living so close to my best human friend!" She couldn't help but chuckle as there seemed to be literal stars in the monster's large, red eyes.

"Well... I don't usually do this, but how about we stop and get some nice cream on the way home? My treat?" The children brightened so much that she jokingly thought she'd need sunglasses, and Frisk's hands went crazy thanking her while Monster Kid started whooping and hollering down the hallway. This...this part of her day she could easily look forward to, regardless of however many hiccups happened. It made a small place inside her heart (and, she figured, her soul) feel warm and bright and content.

They all piled into her SUV and, after a quick stop by the Nice Cream Parlor, she was pulling into the parking lot in front of her apartment building. She turned around in her seat to see Frisk happily eating their ice cream, held in one hand, while they held Monster Kid's chocolate cone for him in the other. It was just another sight that brought a warm tenderness to her heart, made her wonder why on earth anyone could hate them when they were so innocent.

"Alright, kiddos," she said as she unbuckled herself, opening her door and stepping out, "I'll walk you home, since I don't want you-"

"-walking alone?" The gentle voice came as a slight surprise, but Lena smiled up at the kind monster. Toriel eyed the ice cream with only a slight narrowing of her eyes, then burst into delighted giggles. "Well I hope that you have saved room for butterscotch-cinnamon pie, my child, because there is some waiting at home for us!" Frisk nodded eagerly, moving their hands to sign only to realize they were full. Their big brown eyes shone and Lena could see the queen's heart practically melt at the look alone.

* * *

The day passed by at a snail's pace which, usually, he was thankful for. A slow-passing day meant more time to nap, more time to lay about and do nothing...but all it did today was make him anxious, nervous. His thoughts were still very much centered on that morning and, though he tried to reason with himself and snap himself out of it, it did little good. Instead of trying to reason with himself, he was trying to talk himself out of the very idea even existing.

' _No way she'd wanna bond with a monster like me... Even if I am a boss monster. Low HP, my LV and EXP...'_ He shuddered and, all too suddenly, he was grateful that she was unable to read those things like he could. As much as down-talking himself seemed to work...for a little while...he couldn't help but think about the reason why he'd _want_ to. And, no matter how he phrased it to himself, it seemed like a stupid question.

Why _wouldn't_ he want to bond with her? Her soul was the most beautiful he'd ever seen. It wasn't completely pure, by any means, but it was kind, warm, compassionate, giving, loving... Even with the little flecks of darkness here or there, all it did was make the brightness stand out. He would be a hypocrite to try and damn her for the dark flecks when his own soul had its share. But even his ugly, tattered, scarred soul was worthwhile to her. In her eyes, it was beautiful, and she'd even said so herself. She loved him. Of that fact he was grounded, certain. It was unshakable, and he'd be a damn fool to dare question it.

So what was he so afraid of?

Perhaps it had less to do with her and more to do with himself. It was the darker parts of his soul that he was most afraid of her seeing, of _really seeing_. Secrets that she would uncover and learn, the things she would see through his eyes in the form of old memories...he wasn't sure how she would react. He knew that she loved children, adored teaching, and the fact that he'd done what he did so many times in the past would, without a doubt, not sit well with her. Would it be enough for her to grow to resent him? Hate him? Leave him? The very idea chilled his soul.

The sounds of footsteps climbing the stairs outside caught his attention and he quickly squashed the fears down as best he could, quickly picking up the remote again to resume flipping through channels. The front door swung inward and in she walked, the very item of his affections, her soul fluttering brightly from within her and making him smile with a glance alone. "Heya babe. How'd it go?"

"It was...stressful. I was so nervous the whole time, but most of the kids really seem to like me!" She sounded so excited, and the way her face practically glowed with her smile made his soul do a funny little flop in his chest. She kicked off her shoes and set her bag down and immediately climbed onto the couch with him, and he lifted an arm so she could curl into his side. "Do you ever really pick anything, or do you just wait for Papyrus to choose?" Giving a small lazy shrug was his only form of a reply, and she snorted, reaching to take the remote from his hands. The feel of her warm fingers sliding over his bony ones was nice, and it soothed his soul just from that simple touch. He frowned, however, when he saw the back of her hand, and he quickly grasped her hand to hold it closer to his face, inspecting it.

"What's this...?" he asked quietly, eyelights flickering over to her to see that she was avoiding his gaze. "Babe?"

"It was no big deal, I just...got a little too close to one of the students-"

"Someone _attacked you?_ " he interrupted, voice rising just a bit, and she flinched, the tiniest bit of movement.

"They didn't mean to... I-It was an accident..." she muttered weakly, and he growled low in his chest, startling her. "S-Sans-"

"Who?" It was less a question and more of a demand from his tone. She frowned up at him, moving to sit up and away from him.

"Sans, really, I'm fine. Kupanda healed me, and he said they didn't mean it." He grit his teeth in mild frustration as he realized who it was she'd been talking about. Ven. A troubled brat from the underground, liked to pick a lot of fights. "...h-he's a good kid," she said softly, and he snorted, eyelights flicking to the side in a show of rolling his eyes. "Sans." Her voice was firmer now and he gave a soft growl, almost quiet enough to be a sigh.

"Yeah, alright. I know who yer talkin' about and...I get it," he grumbled, his arms moving to wrap around her. He snagged the healed hand and brought it up to inspect it once more, giving the back of it a toothy kiss. "Jus' don't like thinkin' 'bout you gettin' hurt is all..." Her expression softened at that and he leaned down to nuzzle his nasal ridge against the side of her cheek. "...So he's gettin' moved to a different class, right?"

"No, Sans," she sighed, "he's still my student." He gave another low growl, moving down a bit to nuzzle at her neck, and he felt her stiffen slightly. Pulling away, he pressed his teeth to her cheek in a kiss, faintly noticing that she looked a bit redder than before. "Bonehead..." Her arms wrapped around him in return, and he felt himself relax. What could he say? It was hard to be mad with her around.

* * *

 **[[ Affectionate Sans is affectionate! Prepare yourselves, because this next chapter is gonna have EVEN MORE OF IT! MUAHAHAHAHAA~!  
** **Also may begin the introduction of sexual themes in these next upcoming chapters. I'll start marking those chapters with an (*) after the chapter name so you all know to be wary. Just the natural progression of their relationship, guys, and you knew it was coming. It's been at the M rating for a while now. Anyway, hope you guys look forward to it and enjoy! (Working on writing it now. It's 4 AM. I haven't slept lmao kill me pls ]]**


	34. Chapter 34

**[[A little continuation of the fluff from before, and we start moving into some more intimate territory. Sans' curiosity is the best. I swear it.]]**

* * *

Things had calmed down relatively well after Lena had gotten back home (or, more specifically, _Sans_ had calmed down), and she busied herself with reading over her student files. As a new teacher, she wanted to get to learn her students' names and faces by the end of the week, at the very least. This was her very first teaching job, but not her first job in a classroom. She'd always been very open and friendly with all of the students in the first school she had worked for, and even looked forward to seeing many of them. She knew most of their names, their hobbies, and even went so far as to have a few counseling sessions with several of them from time to time. She had loved it.

However, the school had lost its funding, and it couldn't afford to have assistants and interns from her college's program anymore. It had broken her heart to have to leave there, and she still had every single goodbye letter and drawing the children had given her, stored carefully in a box in the top of her closet. She'd then had to move to Tristin Elementary and, although she still enjoyed being around children, the work environment was a bit...less than ideal. A certain woman came to mind and she stamped down the thought, not wanting to ruin her good mood by thinking about her.

She had been perfectly focused upon her 'studying'...except that a certain skeleton was being incredibly distracting. They had started out sitting next to one another on the sectional, Sans leaning lazily against the arm of the couch while she sat on the cushion next to him reading. At some point, however, he'd shifted closer to her, his arm draped across the back of the couch resting around her shoulders. Then, the next time she looked up, she was leaning against his side. THEN, through some use of magic or whatever she didn't know, he moved them again. Now he was sat with his back against the arm and her between his femurs, reclining back against his chest. She kept wondering how on earth bones could feel so comfortable, but he managed it. It was definitely firm and solid, but she felt herself relaxing back against him anyway. The gentle rise and fall of his ribcage as he breathed was soothing, even though she knew he lacked the lungs that would require the action at all. His arms were wrapped firmly around her waist and his chin rested against her shoulder. It was a nice, comfortable closeness, and she found herself leaning into him even more as she continued to read...but then _it_ started.

It began by accident, she assumes. When he turned his head to try and look down at the papers in her hands, his nasal ridge had brushed against her neck, and a small shiver had gone through her. His curiosity was apparently piqued, because, after a moment, he did it again...and again...and again. After a few minutes he was nuzzling against her neck, a small, glowing light coming from behind her, and she felt her face flush.

Why did her neck have to be so sensitive?

The ridge of his nasal cavity scratched lightly just beneath her ear and she felt her breathing hitch slightly. The small tingling sensations it sent down her neck made her shiver again and, seemingly contented by this reaction, he tried to make it continue. He pressed his nasal ridge against the junction of where her neck met her shoulder and he inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. His exhale was a quiet growl that rumbled up from his chest, and Lena felt her heart do a funny little stutter. It didn't help that his arms around her waist tightened in the same movement.

"Sans...?" she called meekly, keeping her head facing directly forward in hopes of keeping him from noticing just how red her face had gotten.

"Mmh? S'up, babe?" He continued the nuzzling, moving to pull her long auburn hair over one shoulder to get better access. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and set the papers down to tug at her hair, feeling a small comfort from the nervous fluttering in her lower belly as she tugged her fingers through the strands.

"You okay?"

"Mhm." His answers seemed awfully non-committal, but she accepted it nonetheless.

"O-Okay. You're just being awfully uh...affectionate," she cautioned, and she felt him pull away briefly, only enough to press another kiss to her cheek, giving another small grunt. Tapping her fingers against her shoulder, she tried not to tip her head to the side, but failed miserably with another well-placed nuzzle just behind her jaw. "...A-any reason why..?"

"Just tryin' to help you relax," he mumbled, pressing a kiss to her shoulder and feeling her stiffen again. Frowning slightly, he pulled away just a bit. "Y' want me to stop?"

"No!" The word came out far too quickly and her face burned, hands combing through her hair as she sputtered slightly. "I-I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to but...i-it does feel nice," she admitted quietly, and Sans felt himself grin, immediately returning to his ministrations. Inside, Lena was beginning to grow flustered, torn between wanting him to continue doing it and asking him to stop for...reasons. Luckily, she never got the chance to do either, because no sooner had Sans continued than the front door burst open, Papyrus standing there looking triumphant.

"SANS, HUMAN, ARE YOU HOME?! I HAVE SOMETHING TO- Oh." He fell silent as he saw the two of them, obviously so close, and a huge smile practically split his skull. "PARDON MY INTRUSION!" Lena turned her face away, hoping that, by some miracle, he wouldn't see her flushed face and comment. "I WANTED TO INFORM YOU ALL THAT I AM GOING TO UNDYNE'S! SHE AND I BOTH HAVE TOMORROW OFF AND WERE GOING TO CATCH UP ON SOME TRAINING!" He said this as he strode back to his room, where the sounds of shuffling and noise could be heard. When he returned, he had changed out of his battle body and into a pair of jogging pants and a long-sleeved sweater, his boots traded out for a regular pair of sneakers. A backpack was slung over his shoulder and he paused just on the way to the door. "DO NOT MISS ME TOO TERRIBLY WHILE I AM GONE!" He leaned down, bending at the waist to bonk his teeth to Sans' skull with a small ' _clack'_ , then again much more gently on the top of Lena's head, giving a hearty "MWAH" sound with each 'kiss'. "I AM GOING NOW. YOU MAY NOW RESUME YOUR CANOODLING. _WINK!_ " Again, he winked while saying the word in a loud whisper, then laughed as he ran back out the door again.

"C- _Canoodling_? Really?" she whined, raising her hands to her burning face and covering it with her palms. Sans chuckled and buried his face in her neck to hide his amused smile. She was always so easy to tease. "...Was that supposed to be some kind of spaghetti pun? Did you teach him that?!"

He hummed quietly, a soft puff of air blowing against her neck, and he felt another small shiver run through her. Interesting. "Dunno. It's _pasta_ ble, but I'm _alfredo_ I can't answer that for sure." She groaned and slumped in his arms, leaning her head back against his shoulder, and he took the time to press a kiss to her cheek which, he noted delightedly, turned an even lovelier shade of red. "So Paps is gone for the night, it seems. Whaddaya wanna do, babe?" She hummed in thought for a brief moment, glancing back down at her papers, then over to the television with a small sigh.

"...Wanna watch a movie?" He grinned and nudged gently against the back of her neck, giving out a hum of approval. She leaned forward and struggled to grab the remote, but his arms wrapped even more tightly around her middle, pulling her back into him. "Sans..." She tried again, only to be pulled back, nuzzled for good measure. "Saaans," she whined slightly and stretched again to try and reach the remote and, after a brief pause, the device glowed with a faint blue aura and floated into her hand She huffs at him, but the way he can barely see her smiling tells him she's not really mad.

After a bit of prodding, he ends up getting her to go get snacks so he can put on a movie for them. She makes the request of a comedy, and he's more than happy to oblige her. He had a hard time saying no to her, and he was a fan of comedy, anyway. She pushed herself up from the couch after he released his hold on her and she walked to the kitchen, his eyelights absolutely not watching the way her hips swayed with every step. After she turned the corner into the kitchen he tore his eyes away, glancing back at the TV as he scrolled through Netflix. There were a lot they'd already seen, and while he was okay with re-watching a classic, he felt like looking into something new for once. He raised a browbone as he scrolled further down. _'Romantic Comedy, huh?'_ Curiously, he began searching through the genre. '10 Days I Hate About You' popped up as one of the options and the title struck him as odd. Of course he was gonna go with it.

"Did you pick a movie?" Lena called from the kitchen. He could hear the microwave beeping as the sounds of popcorn bags being torn open filled the space. She yelped slightly, probably from the steam, and before he could even ask, she let out a quick, "I'm alright!" Chuckling, he eyed her as walked carefully back into the room, a large bowl of popcorn (a monster brand, even!) on her hip and a large glass of water in the other. He took the offered bowl and peered into it, raising a brow curiously when he saw a popcorn bag shoved into it. She settled down on the couch next to him and he eyed her glass, giving a small hum.

"No drink for me, babe? Your lack of though is leaving me _parched_ ," he drawled, and she nearly spat out the drink of water she'd been in the middle of taking. After a second to composer herself, she pointed to the bowl.

"Don't worry about the drink situation. It's _in the bag_." His eyelights brightened and widened at her words and he eagerly plucked the bag out, a glance inside revealing a bottle of ketchup. A wide grin slowly spread over his features as he flicked off the cap, tossing the bag aside to be thrown away later.

"Tryin' to _butter me up_?" She groaned and rolled her eyes, though a smile was playing at her lips, so he counted it as a victory.

"Oh, I love this movie! It's one of Brit's favorites!" He chuckled and lifted his arm, offering for her to scoot closer. She did so without question, which made his soul flutter happily in his chest.

"Was hopin' you'd like it. I'd hate for the movie to end up being _abhor_." Grabbing a handful of popcorn and tossing it at him playfully she laughed.

"Okay okay, start the movie already!" His sockets closed with mirth for a moment before he felt her getting antsy, reaching for the remote, then deciding to hit 'play'.

* * *

The munching of popcorn filled the quiet space between them and the movie, and though Sans noticed her trying to cut herself off after only a few handfuls, he nudged the bowl onto her lap and pressed his teeth to her temple in a brief kiss. He wasn't sure if he got the message, but she continued to snack on it which, he supposed, was a victory in its own right. The movie was...not what he had expected. Right out the gate, it was obviously a movie about a human high school, which he didn't know much about outside of movies. It didn't matter to him, though. He was just as entertained by watching her from the corner of his eyesockets, how her lips moved to say familiar lines, or the way she smiled when she thought something was funny...or the way she furrowed her brows a bit and frowned whenever the sleazy 'rich kid' did something particularly shitty. It was just one of the many things he loved about her. She was so expressive, her heart and soul full of something to give, and she had no problem trying to share that with people.

As the movie went along, there were a few things that managed to capture his attention...

"Is that true?" he asked, gesturing toward the screen idly, and Lena mumbled a confused sound without even looking away. "Girls with black underwear are lookin' to get some?" Her face flushed a bit and she shrugged her shoulders noncommittally. _'I'll take that as a yes.'_

"Woah... 're all human high school parties like that?" His eyelights were flickering across the screen now, seeing the hoard of people carrying copious amounts of alcohol. She giggled slightly and nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again, uncertainly.

"I haven't exactly been to a bunch of wild parties...but they can get pretty close to that sometimes, yeah. ...Not always crashing some poor guy's wine and cheese party, though." He snorted and let his arm that was draped across the back of the couch fall to lie across her shoulders, pulling her in a bit closer.

"So, wait...He wants to date Kat, right?" She hummed in agreement. "Then why'd he not take the kiss?" She sighed quietly and smiled.

"Because he's a nice guy, even if he's an asshole... He doesn't want to take advantage of her while she's drunk." Oh, well that made sense, he reasoned. He turned from her to glance at the screen just in time to see Bianca lean in and kiss Cameron who, at first, seemed very surprised by it. Wasn't he just into telling her how terrible of a person she'd been? Why were they kissing now? From beside him he could feel Lena's soul fluttering and, when he peeked down at her, her face was red. Frowning, he was about to ask what was wrong when he realized.

Ah. How didn't he notice how she was watching the kiss so intensely? She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth, a nervous habit he knew that she had, but, for some reason, right then it just did funny things to his soul. He forced himself to look back up at the movie, which had resumed past kissing.

But he couldn't stop thinking about it.

Clearing a throat he didn't have, he gave her a gentle nudge with the arm wrapped around her, getting her attention. "Hey, why do they kiss so much in movies?" he asked nonchalantly, only partly because he was genuinely curious.

"Hmm...probably because it's the best way to portray romance without showing sex...?" His skull flushed a faint blue at that and he drew in a slow breath through his mouth. _'Play it cool...'_

"Oh, that makes sense. ...So," he began, pausing as he tried to think of what to say. "Do you even, y'know, think about doin' that...?" _'Real fuckin' smooth.'_ Her face was slowly turning a darker shade of red so he stammered, his words coming out in a rush to try and cover his own (non-existent) ass. "Because I mean if you have, that's cool, I'd be down for tryin' that, if you can get past the fact I don't got lips and...all that..." _'Fuck!'_

"I...a-ah... Wh-what brought this on all of a sudden...?" she asked, obviously flustered. "We've kissed before!" Chuckling nervously she brought her glass of water up to her lips to take a drink. ...A drink that ended up lasting until it was nearly empty. Raising a hand to scratch at the back of his skull, Sans gave a small shrug of his shoulders.

"I figured maybe...we're due for an upgrade? I like those little kisses fine, but...heh." He was sure he was blushing too, now, cheekbones dusted with an azure glow. "I like the feelin' of yer lips, babe. Figured...I'd like to feel more of 'em." The movie played forgotten in the background as the two of them looked awkwardly away from one another, falling into silence. Shit, had he gone too far? Too soon?

"Okay." He voice was small and shy and, when he looked back at her, he saw that she was looking up at him, a small shy smile tugging at her lips. There went that weird flop of his soul.

"Okay...cool," he mumbled dumbly, watching for a moment unmoving as she turned in her seat to face him. When he realized what she was doing, he scrambled to do the same, nearly knocking over the bowl of popcorn in the process. "Shit-" It scattered across the carpet and he sighed. Why was he so nervous? He was thinking too much, that was the problem. He needed to stop over-thinking things.

Afterall, it was only a kiss.

As the silence stretched on between them and no one made a move, Sans could feel his magic jittering nervously through his bones, his leg that was still on the floor bouncing slightly. _'It's just a kiss, just a kiss, just-'_

Then...he looked at her. He really, _really_ looked at her, and he could feel her nervous she was, being so close to eachother, and suddenly all of his uncertainty just faded into white noise. She was sitting with her knees tucked under her, hands wringing themselves atop her lap, and her head was tilted down so that he had a more difficult time seeing her face. Her teeth had once again snagged her bottom lip and was gnawing on it, and he was suddenly so terribly fixated on that. Her lips were soft flesh, but being pinched gently between hard rows of bone. His face flushed and he raised a hand to tuck under her chin, slowly easing her until she was looking up at him, and he wasn't smiling now. His eyes were wide, lighted pupils flickering between her eyes and her lips, trying to focus on both at the same time, but being unable to. He slid his bony palm up to cup her cheek and gave a contented sigh as she leaned into it, nuzzling his palm.

"You're so fascinating..." he mumbled, voice a low rumble from his chest, and he felt her nudge further into his palm, trying to hide her face as the blood flowed into her cheeks, deepening her blush. He wasn't going to allow that, though, and he cupped her face with both hands, trailing the smooth bone of his thumbs across the freckles on her cheeks, brushing just barely at her eyelashes. Her eyes close, a reflexive reaction to having something so close, and he watches as her long, dark lashes brush against the tips of his thumbs, against her skin. "Look at me." The request was gentle, and he felt his soul flutter when she complied, revealing those gorgeous windows to her gorgeous soul to him.

He felt unworthy.

His fingertips of one hand trailed gently down her cheek, caressing the soft skin as they made their way to her lips. He brushed the slightly-rougher pad of his thumb along the still captured bottom lip, and she released it as she pulled in a small, hitched breath. He could see her pupils dilating, the golden flecks of sunlight trapped in forest-green irises becoming more clear. Curiously, he leaned in closer, until he could feel her warm breath ghosting against the lower half of his face. His eyes never left her, still struggling to find what he wanted to look at most. As her lips parted slightly and she drew in a breath, he felt his soul thud solidly in his chest.

"Wanna kiss ya..." When had his voice gotten so soft? His words were little more than a husky whisper, and he felt her shiver in response. He waited for her answer, still staring at her lips, and it was only after a breath's pause that he felt her lean in, just a bit. The faintest of smiles passed over his face before he closed the gap, pressing his teeth to her lips in a kiss. Usually their kisses were brief, a faint touch, but this time they lingered. He worried if it wasn't as good, without a pair of lips to kiss her back, but the way she leaned into the kiss helped ease some of his doubts. They broke apart after a few seconds, only to lean in for another, and another, and another. Each kiss lasted just a little bit longer than the first. His hand still cupping her cheek slid down slightly, till he was gently grasping around the back of her neck. The base of his thumb was pressed against her pulse, and he could feel it quickening as each kiss initiated. She seemed unsure of where to put her hands, so they stayed tightly clasped on her lap until he snagged one and placed it on his shoulder. She tensed for a second, then slowly slid her hands up across his shoulders. A low rumbling sound pulled from him and he felt her heart rate jump, her fingers twitching against his shirt. _'Interesting...'_

"Hold on a sec," he murmured, pulling away just enough to get a glimpse of her face before he closed his eyes, focusing his magic. With a flash of blue behind his left socket, his eyes slowly slid open again, right socket an empty void, his left now holding a glowing cyan iris. "Let's just take this nice 'n easy, alright?" She nodded slowly, her eyes flickering between his left socket and his mouth. A faint glow had begun to shine through the small spaces in his teeth, and he gently pulled her back in for another kiss. Her lips moved against him for a few moments before he opened his mouth, teeth parting slightly, just enough to brush against her bottom lip with the tip of his summoned tongue. She shuddered, a soft sound escaping her before she could silence it, and she hesitantly opened up for him. He kept to himself at first, brushing just against her lips, the edges of her teeth, waiting for her to seek him out. His hand not holding the back of her neck slid slowly around her shoulder and down her back, fingers trailing gently down her sides until he found the swell of her hip. Her tongue brushed tentatively against his own and he released a low growl, almost a purr, squeezing her hip gently. It always amazed him, how he could feel the bones beneath it all, but he was far more interested in her flesh. It was soft, always surprising him with how soft, and he could feel it dip beneath his fingertips. Her hands held onto his shoulders more sturdily and she tried to lean closer.

He did her one better and tugged gently on her hip, pulling her until she was on his lap, straddling him. The sound she made was swallowed up by him, and he felt his soul swell in response. Their tongues brushed past each other as he wrapped an arm around her waist, exploring the cavern of her mouth with curiosity. He mapped out the bones of her hard palette, feeling the ridges beneath his tongue, and she breathed a soft moan into the kiss. Pleased by this, he moved to pull away, only for him to be held firmly in place by hands holding tightly to his shirt. He suddenly found his tongue being pulled into her mouth and suckled on gently, pulling a low growl from him as a shiver ran through his bones. She pulled away then, leaning her head against him and panting against his shoulder.

"Sorry, babe...too much?" he mumbled apologetically, moving the hand from her neck to comb his fingers through her hair. She shook her head but otherwise said nothing, trying to slow her pounding heart and quickened breath. It took a few minutes, but she eventually lifted her head, looking at him shyly. The blush painted across her freckled cheeks was the darkest he'd seen it, and she fidgeted slightly on his lap. "...So?" She glanced away from him, nibbling on her bottom lip again. "Did I manage not to fuck it up?" he asked bluntly, though in a joking tone, and he watched the small smile spread across her lips. "So I did good?" She shook her head, and he only felt his smile falter slightly, confused.

"No..." She leaned in and pressed another lingering kiss to his teeth. "You were perfect." His grin returned full force and he leaned forward to nuzzle against the side of her neck, feeling her shiver in his arms.

"Good."

* * *

 **[[There. It is 10:10AM. I am now finished with this. I have not slept in over 24 hours, so help me god, if there are spelling errors or grammatical errors I'll fix them later I promise BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS I LOVE YOU ALL ]]**


	35. Chapter 35

**[[ Alrighty, next installment! This takes place a few months after the last chapter, and we're gonna start getting into some more plot. Hopefully. Let's keep our fingers crossed just in case. Hope you all enjoy! ]]**

* * *

It all started with the knock of a door.

Lena was in the kitchen making dinner when she heard it, hastily moving the pan of frying bacon to a cool burner and shutting off the stove. (She never left anything unattended, too fearful of it burning.) "Coming!" she called, hearing what sounded like an impatient foot tapping from the other side. As soon as she got to the door and managed to get it open she looked out...but saw no one.

"Yo!" She startled gently, directing her eyes further downward and seeing Monster Kid jogging in place. _'That would explain the tapping noise...'_ Smiling, she knelt down a bit to be at eye-level with him. He looked a little strange, holding an envelope in his mouth.

"Hello, MK. How're you doing-" He made gentle urging noises and thrust his chin upward, pressing the envelope forward. Raising a brow, she slowly and carefully took it from him, and he sent her a pointy-toothed grin.

"Thanks! Hard to talk with that thing in my mouth, heheh!" Nodding his head toward the envelope now in her hands, he continued. "That's for you. Someone asked me to give it to you."

"Oh, well, thank-" Her apology was cut off as a group of monster children began shouting for Monster Kid from a ways off, and he ran for the stairs, pausing just at the top to turn back to glance at her.

"Later!" Then he was gone, running with such speeds down the steps that she briefly worried that he would fall down them. The child did seem to lose his balance frequently enough... She breathed a small sigh of relief when he got to the bottom safely, and she stood and closed the door, turning back toward the kitchen with the envelope still in hand. It was incredibly light, without much thickness, and the envelope had small spots of saliva where Monster Kid's fangs had held onto it. She thought it strange that it wasn't addressed in any way, not even with just an informal of her 'nickname'.

"HUMAN, I HAVE RETURNED FROM WORK!" Papyrus burst in through the front door with his usual energy, and Lena was so focused on the object in her hand that she only jumped a little bit, turning to him with a smile.

"Welcome home, Pappy!" She padded back into the kitchen and set the envelope on the counter so she could resume cooking. The tall skeleton followed after her just as she pulled the frying pan back onto the still hot burner. "I hope you don't mind breakfast for dinner."

"WORRY NOT, HUMAN, I AM NOT ONE WHO IS OVERLY SENSITIVE TO HAVING BREAKFAST AT THE WRONG TIME!" he said reassuringly, causing her to snort.

"There's _never_ a wrong time for breakfast." Long, bony arms wrapped around her shoulders tightly in a brief hug before pulling away again, not wanting to get in the way of her cooking. "How was work today?"

"IT WAS GREAT! MUFFET HAD ME PASS OUT SAMPLES TO PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALK, AND A HUMAN CHILD RAN UP AND HUGGED ME!" He seemed so genuinely thrilled that she couldn't help but smile wider, humming slightly to let him know she was listening. "YES! THEY WERE VERY TINY, AND THEIR MOTHER CAME UP AND APOLOGIZED TO ME, BUT I TOLD HER IT WAS NO TROUBLE! AFTER ALL, WHO COULD POSSIBLY REFUSE THE DESIRE TO HUG A GREAT AND POWERFUL SKELETON SUCH AS MYSELF?" He struck a small pose, his scarf billowing slightly behind him as though there were a breeze, even though he was indoors.

"That's awesome! I bet Sans will be happy to hear about that once he gets home."

"THAT REMINDS ME, WHERE ON EARTH IS THAT LAZYBONES? HE IS NOT USUALLY HOME SO LATE..." Papyrus raised a gloved hand to tap at his chin thoughtfully. Seeing that the bacon was done, he jumped to grab a plate, covering it with paper towels before holding it out for Lena to deposit the meat onto. She said a quick thank you and turned the heat down for the burner, stepping over to pull the eggs out of the fridge.

"He's helping to cover a co-worker's shift. He should be home here any minute, though," she said, pausing as she glanced at the clock to double check. The eggs were cracked into the pan, and the sound of the eggs sizzling away in the bacon grease filled the room. "Hey, Pappy, could you get the toaster down for me and make some toast? I'm gonna go wash up real quick."

"BUT OF COURSE!" He reached easily into one of the tallest cabinets and pulled down the device he sought after, to which she only gave a small huff of envy. (If she were to have gotten it down, it would have involved climbing onto the counter. She cursed her shortness.)

The two of them chatted idly while they finished making dinner, and once everything was done, the food was divided up evenly onto three plates. She cast a slightly worried glance toward the front door. Sans still wasn't home yet, and he hadn't responded to her text message, either... _'Don't assume the worst.'_

"PERHAPS HE IS STOPPING TO GET US CINNAMON BUNNIES TO MAKE UP FOR BEING LATE?" As if he'd read her mind, Papyrus reached over and placed a large, gloved hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile that she couldn't help but return.

"Mmm, let's hope! Cinnamon bunnies would be the only way to make this better."

"WHAT ABOUT SPAGHETTI?"

She chuckled, "Or spaghetti." She walked into the dining room with two plates while Papyrus followed after her with the third, and she couldn't help but glance at the door again. Try as she might, she just couldn't keep her mind off of it. "Should we go ahead and eat while it's still hot...?" she asked, glancing down at the plates on the dining room table.

"NYEH, I SUPPOSE. SANS WILL BE AWFULLY SORRY THAT HE MISSED OUT!"

"Missed out on what?" Lena was thankful that the taller skeleton had put the plate down beforehand, otherwise the food would have been tossed off with how badly he jumped. He turned with a small glare, hands on his bony hips as he stared down at his brother who appeared supposedly out of nowhere.

"SANS! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I ASK YOU NOT TO DO THAT? YOU STARTLED ME!" He stopped his foot childishly, and the human momentarily felt bad for those who lived in the apartment beneath hers. "AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU!"

"Sorry bro, work kept me held up," the shorter skeleton said with a shrug, stepping around his brother to slide an arm around Lena's waist, pulling her in for a hug. "Hey, babe." She relaxed visibly and allowed her arms to drape around his neck, leaning down to rest her forehead against the top of his skull. "Sorry for worryin' ya." She shook her head and pressed a kiss to his skull, pulling away with a smile.

"Welcome home. We made breakfast!" He raised a browbone, no doubt preparing for a pun, but she shushed him and pushed him into a chair. He chuckled and gave another shrug of his shoulders, and the three of them sat down to eat. "Soooo..." she paused, taking a bite of bacon and swallowing. "How was work?" Papyrus quickly downed one of his eggs and set his hands on the table top, gloves muffling the impact to a dull _'thunk'_.

"I GOT A HUG FROM A TINY HUMAN TODAY!" She had already heard the story, but Lena couldn't help but smile at the way Papyrus' face brightened at the memory. Sans raised a browbone curiously and paused in his eating, giving a simple 'oh yeah?' before continuing. "YES! THEY SAID THAT I LOOKED VERY COOL, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MERELY STATING THE OBVIOUS, IT WAS QUITE FLATTERING THAT THEY WANTED A HUG FROM ME! THEIR MOTHER WAS VERY APOLOGETIC, BUT I REASSURED HER THAT IT WAS QUITE ALRIGHT!" Sans' grin looked a bit relieved at that.

"That's cool, bro. See, even strangers can tell how awesome you are."

"NYEH-HEH-HEH! IT IS TRUE! HUMAN, HOW WAS YOUR DAY? HAS VEN BEEN ANY BETTER?" She hummed thoughtfully, pausing mid-chew to try and think back.

"Well...he didn't hiss at me when I handed out papers today, and he hasn't called me any insults lately." Sans gave a small unamused snort, which the taller skeleton shot a look toward before turning back to the human with a bright smile.

"THAT IS WONDERFUL! NO DOUBT YOUR FRIENDLINESS AND KINDNESS IS WORKING! I AM SURE YOU WILL BE THE BEST OF FRIENDS IN NO TIME!" She laughed and, try as she might, she couldn't even be sarcastic in her mind. How could she possibly doubt it when Papyrus believed in her so much?

They ate in a comfortable silence, only broken every so often by a comment or story from Papyrus or a joke from Sans (and, immediately following, a groan of protest from his brother). Once their plates were all cleaned, Lena stood and quickly gathered the dishes, stacking the plates together. She was just about to carry them into the kitchen when gloved hands shot in, far quicker than her own, and Papyrus held them up with a small "nyeh". She reached for them, only for them to be held over her head, just out of reach, and Papyrus giggled as the human's cheeks puffed out and her face flushed pink. Despite her protests that she wanted to do the dishes, the skeleton was hearing none of it, and she was left standing in the dining room watching Papyrus' scarf disappear around the corner.

"Told ya he wouldn't let ya do everything, babe," a voice drawled from beside her suddenly, and she glanced down at her boyfriend with a look of mild annoyance. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning forward to nuzzle his forehead against her collarbone. "Hey, 's alright. Why don't ya go take your shower? We can watch a movie before bed." She hummed in thought softly and, after a moment, sighed.

"Yeah, sure. That actually sounds really good." She headed toward the bathroom, stopping half-way and turning to give Sans a pointed look. "No horror!" He was already on the couch, remote in hand, and had a slightly guilty expression on his face, though his shit-eating grin quickly overcame it. With a roll of her eyes she turned back around, only to nearly face-plant into Papyrus' battle body. "Oof! S-sorry..."

"HUMAN, I APOLOGIZE! I DID NOT SEE YOU DOWN THERE!" Lena narrowed her eyes as Sans called from the couch.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH SHIIIIIIIII-"

"It's _fine_ , Pappy," she said with a smile, and Sans snickered at the way her fingers twitched in irritation. _'He's one to talk. He's even shorter than me!'_

"YOU FORGOT ABOUT THIS DURING ALL OF OUR DINNER-MAKING CONVERSATION! HERE YOU GO!" He eagerly held out the letter that Monster Kid had brought and, with a small smile, she accepted it, stepping around him to get to her room.

"Thanks! I'll be just a bit!" She closed her bedroom door and locked it, setting the envelope on her bedside table as she stripped off her clothing. Reaching for a towel, her hand stopped in the middle of the action, the envelope catching her eye. Biting her lip, she glanced between it and her bathroom door, then, with a small sigh, sat on the edge of her bed and picked it up. It was poorly sealed from what she could tell at a glance, so it was easy to slide her finger underneath the gap in the seal and tear it open. Inside was a single, tri-folded piece of paper. _'Maybe it's from the students!'_ Her heart felt warm as she thought back to all of the loving gifts she'd received from the children from the classes she'd helped teach in the past. Drawings with 'We love Miss Lena' on them, a messily drawn and colored heart, with a big, smiley-faced sun shining down on them. She had plenty of them in the top of her closet, carefully stored for safe keeping, but the thought of adding another to her collection brought a bright smile to her face. She pulled out and unfolded the paper, but was slightly disappointed to see only lines of black text. As she scanned over the words, she flinched slightly, then read it over again...and again...and again. Surely she must be seeing things.

" **M** **iss** **Leannán O'Brennike:**

 **It has come to attention that you have been associating with lesser creatures. While it was originally excusable as part of your 'kind' nature, the extent of association has become unforgivable, and we are unable to overlook it. You are setting a bad example for our children, and you working for that filthy excuse of a 'school' has made it clear that you are turning your back on your own race. By continuing to live in close proximity to monsters, you are becoming tainted by their beliefs. It seems you need to be reminded that necrophilia is disgusting, immoral, and wrong, and your relationship with the skeleton who has brainwashed you needs to be corrected.**

 **We are giving you the opportunity to do so. You will quit your job working for the backwards-teaching institution the queen of beasts has called a 'school'. You will move back to your friend's house in Tristin and live among your own kind. You will end your fraternizing with the demon who has captivated you. Failure to do these simple things and to return to the path of HUMANITY will cause you to force our hand.**

 **We'll be in touch."**

A cold feeling fell over her, heavy and weighted like a wet blanket, and she shuddered lightly as her eyes flitted over the last two lines. The letter was worded in such a polite way at first that, were it not for the blatant racism, she wouldn't have so quickly realized it for what it was: _a threat_. Crumpling up the paper between her trembling hands, she glanced at her bedroom door where she could hear Sans and Papyrus chatting lightheartedly just on the other side. _'What should I do...?'_ She had no intention of doing what the letter had 'requested' of her. Leaving Taobh, leaving Sans, was not something she planned on doing any time soon, if at all...but the thought of bringing this up left her feeling anxious. Her mind raced as she tried to think of who could have possibly learned so much about her, who could have possibly sent her the letter. Pushing the thoughts aside, she got up and stepped into the shower, hoping that the rush of warm water over her skin could ease her mind a bit.

* * *

"HAVEN'T YOU AND YOUR HUMAN WATCHED THIS MOVIE ALREADY?" If there was a day where Sans _didn't_ feel a rush of warmth and, dare he say, pride whenever she was referred to as his, then it was probably because he was dead. A lazy grin spread across his face as he set down the remote, his decision on a movie already made. Sure, it might've been a movie that they've already seen together a dozen times, but it was a movie that _always_ made her laugh. And if there was one thing that Sans enjoyed most, it was seeing _his human_ laugh.

"Yeah, but it's a classic," was all he said, and Papyrus gave him a confused look before sighing. That was obviously the only answer he was going to be getting.

"VERY WELL, THEN. I WILL LEAVE YOU TWO TO YOUR CANOODLING AND "MOVIE WATCHING"," he said, raising a browbone and even raising his hands to give the 'airquotes'. Sans snorted loudly and raised a hand to cover his mouth, watching as his brother hopped up from the couch and headed toward his room with a flourish. "I SHALL BE WORKING ON MY BATTLE STRATEGIES! NYEH!" His scarf fluttered valiantly behind him as he skipped out of the room, his door closing behind him quietly. _'Heh, my bro's the coolest...'_ He gave a small yawn, stretching his arms over his head and sagging back into the cushions of the couch, eyesockets closing. This. This was the sort of life he'd always wanted for his brother, for everyone...for himself. His smile pulled even wider at the corners of his mouth, easy and relaxed, and even though the anxious thoughts of resets and whatnot came to mind, he pushed them aside easily, for once.

A sudden swell of cold and darkness washed over his soul and his bones rattled slightly as he shuddered, eyes flying open. The lights in his eyes were mere pinpricks, darting about in the dark emptiness of his sockets as he struggled to figure out where the feeling came from. Papyrus was fine, he reassured himself, glancing toward the skeleton's bedroom and seeing his soul's happy aura, bright and cheerful even through the barrier of walls. Papyrus was fine, and Lena was-

 _...Oh._

He couldn't even see it clearly and he knew he didn't like what he saw. Something was wrong...but what? She was fine while they were eating, smiles and kind as usual. Frowning, he tried to think of what may have happened, but there was a limited amount of time between the last time she was fine and when he noticed the darkened aura. _'...that letter? It's worth a shot.'_ Closing his eyes, he opened a doorway underneath him where he sat, and he fell through the void, bathed in inky blackness for all but a few seconds before he landed neatly on his feet in Lena's bedroom. The sound of running water still came from behind the closed bathroom door, and he stepped over to the bed. His slipper caught for a moment on something and he glanced down, face flaring a light blue as he hastily kicked the pale pink bra under the bed. The letter was sitting crumpled on her pillow, the envelope discarded on the floor, and he only felt slightly guilty as he reached forward and snatched it up in his hands, flattening it out to read it.

The first thing he felt was confusion, a very brief moment where he questioned it. Surely this couldn't be real. There couldn't honestly be someone who was this hateful, this spiteful, right? _'I know the answer to that already...'_ How was it that, in such a short amount of time, he could have already had his standards for humans changed? Lena and Frisk made him see humans in a brighter light than the majority, and the cynic in him was berating himself for it. Then the rush of heat from anger scalded his bones and made the magical-saturated marrow boil deep beneath, and he felt a strong desire to seek. To seek out the person who would _dare_ to threaten _his human_ and show them the worst of times, to make it to where they wouldn't even look in her direction ever again. The soft grating sound of his teeth grinding together filled the room and he drew in a sharp breath through his nose. Getting worked up like this wouldn't be helpful, he knew that, but the longer he stared at the letter in his hands, the more he felt his anger rise. _'Necrophilia? What the fuck, are these assholes serious?! ...We'll be in touch, huh?'_ The thought of whoever had dared to write out these very words trying to do anything to Lena made his soul seize fearfully in his chest.

The water shut off and Sans gripped at the paper so tightly that his bony fingertips ripped through, and he was left with two tightly clenched fists full of shredded paper.

* * *

There was something about the way the air turned into a damp haze of steam whenever you turned the shower temperature up high enough that was comforting. The glass clouded with condensation and everything became shrouded, making it feel like it were suddenly somewhere else. Auburn hair hung heavily around her shoulders, sticking to her reddened and water-scoured skin. She was clean a while ago, deciding to sit on the floor of the shower with her legs curled up to her chest, arms wrapping around them protectively. The water still fell over her, and she had to keep her eyes closed to keep the water from getting in them. _'Should I talk to Toriel about this...?'_ Biting her lip, she pulled her forehead away from its resting place against her kneecaps and leaned her head back until it gently knocked the tile wall behind her, the coolness of it seeping through the warm water soaking her hair. It brought a small amount of clarity with it, and she gave a small sigh.

Deciding not to tell anyone would be foolish.

She reached out blindly and felt around until, eventually, her hand caught the knob controlling the water, and she turned it until the water shut off. The small dripping sound of a few final water droplets falling and hitting the drain sounded infinitely louder, but she used the sounds to ground her. Walking around like someone waiting to be attacked wouldn't do any good. After all, nothing had really happened yet, and making Papyrus or Sans worry unnecessarily wasn't something she had any intention of doing.

' _Come on, Lena. One foot at a time...'_ Huffing a breath, she grabbed onto the rail inside the shower and pulled herself to her feet. She slid the door open and shivered as the cold air hit her wet skin, and she reached out to quickly grab her towel and throw it around herself. Maybe she could lay in bed for a little bit before getting dressed...she felt tired, for some reason. With the fabric wrapped around her body and tucked into itself so it stayed in place, she opened the bathroom door and stepped into her bedroom, only to freeze the instant she felt carpet on the bottoms of her feet. Her heart hammered heavily against her sternum as she tried to pull down the towel a little further, suddenly very aware of her lack of dress with someone else in the room. She opened her mouth to apologize, to shoo him out, something...but the sight of him made her voice die in her throat.

The skeleton's browbones were furrowed, knit tightly together while the corners of his usual smile turned down into a grimace. His eyesockets were deep pits of darkness without the usual pinpricks of light present in them. His fists were tightly clenched, so much so that she could hear the soft grinding sounds they emitted. There were torn bits of paper sticking out between his fingers and she felt her breath catch. He'd seen it. She stepped past him, hesitating when the corner of his mouth twitched downward further. _'He's upset. I don't blame him, but what do I say...?'_ Swallowing, she walked across the room to her closet, pulling out a simple long-sleeved shirt and jeans and tossing them onto her bed. She glanced around for a moment looking for her bra, but, after she'd turned her back, she suddenly turned to find it sitting on top of her clothing, and she fought back a blush as she hurriedly put it on. Sans didn't turn to look at her, giving her privacy, but not wanting to leave the room. After she was dressed she carefully moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to him, unsure of what to say or do. A silence stretched between them, far from comfortable, and, before she could open her mouth, Sans broke it.

"How'd ya find this?" She sighed a quiet breath out through her nose, drumming her fingertips lightly against the tops of her thighs. Though it was phrased as a question, she had the feeling that it wasn't optional for her to answer.

"Monster Kid brought it by...said that someone gave it to him to give to me." She didn't miss the faint click as his jaw clenched. "I...don't know who it's from, but you should know that I'm not going to do it." He glanced over at her, lights still gone from his eyes, and she pressed on, her expression stern. "I'm not going to do what they tell me to. So...you shouldn't even bother with it." He huffed a hollow laugh and ducked his head for a moment, as if he were glaring at the remnants of the letter still clutched tightly in his hands.

"Humans are supposed ta be about self-preservation-"

"Sans..." She cut him off quickly, her tone warning, despite how gentle it was still. He sighed heavily and spread out his fingers, allowing the scraps of paper to float to the floor gently, as if it were unaffected by the weight of the words written on them.

"Sorry. Guess I'm just...surprised. Dunno why. Bein' around you's made me forget how awful humans can be." He shrugged his shoulders slightly and reached a hand out to grab her own, intertwining their fingers and giving it a squeeze. She frowned and, after a second, turned and raised her free hand to cup his cheek, turning him to face her. Leaning in, she pressed a kiss to his teeth, a quick peck, and she felt relieved and comforted to see the small lights flicker back to life in his eyesockets.

"I'm okay..." she mumbled quietly, and he sagged against her side, nuzzling against her palm.

"I know, babe, I know." His nasal ridge rubbed gently against the palm of her hand as he pressed his teeth to her wrist in a kiss, eyesockets slipping closed. "...'s just that-"

"HUMAN!" The suddenness of the louder voice just outside her door made both of them jump slightly, and Sans breathed out a short sigh against her hand. "I HAVE JUST REMEMBERED THAT SHARK WEEK IS VERY NEARLY UPON US, AND I HAVE YET TO GO TO THE STORE TO STOCK UP ON THE NECESSARY THINGS!" he said, sounding far too apologetic for someone who'd done nothing wrong. Bless Papyrus. He was sweet, but sometimes he was just outright embarrassing. Lena's cheeks burned slightly, but she couldn't even be upset about it, chuckling and calling out to him from the other side of the door.

"It's okay, Pappy. I'll go to the store tonight and pick it up!" She felt the skeleton's hand holding hers tighten slightly, but she ignored it, standing up and heading to her bedroom door to open it. It was still locked, she noted, and she cast Sans a look over her shoulder as she unlocked it and stepped out into the hallway. Papyrus was standing just outside, looking down at her worriedly.

"YOU ARE SURE? I DO NOT WANT YOU TO EXHAUST YOURSELF, HUMAN."

"I'm sure. I was wanting to get out of the apartment for a little bit anyway." This seemed to satisfy the towering skeleton monster, who smiled down at her and reached out to pat her on the head affectionately. She brushed her still damp hair back into some semblance of order and padded across the living room carpet to the front door. Sans was right on her heels and, even without looking, she could tell that he was frowning at her.

"'m not sure that's such a good idea," he muttered, and she gave a small hum as she slipped on her shoes. He sighed and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, slippers scuffing against the carpet. "Guess I'm goin' with ya then." Frowning softly, she turned to look at him.

"You don't have to-"

"Nope." He shook his skull, not even giving her the opportunity to say what she was going to. "I'm goin' and that's that. We're takin' a shortcut." She sighed quietly and nodded, her eyes widening as she felt his arms wrap tightly around her waist, nuzzling against her chest. "Hold on tight, babe." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned until her forehead rested against the top of his skull, eyes closing tightly. There was a feeling of falling, her stomach fluttering oddly, and then suddenly they were standing outside the closest grocery store. It didn't matter how many times she took one of his 'shortcuts', she could never really get fully used to the odd sensation of falling through space. When the butterflies in her tummy and the faint spinning in her head finally ceased she pulled herself away, only to be pulled back in closely. Sans' eyelights were bright points in the voids of his sockets, focused on her closely. "Stay close to me." It was said as a demand, but it was a request, and she nodded. "Good...c'mon." He released one of his arms from around her waist and gestured toward the wide glass front doors, his other arm still securely around her, holding her close.

He snagged a basket as they walked in and immediately let her take over, leading them despite his hold on her. She tossed the necessities into the basket then, after a moment's pause, took them down the snack foods aisle. A bag of chocolate kisses few into the basket, despite her not having even touched them, and she shot Sans a glance, which he returned with an innocent expression. "What? I thought you _loved my kisses_..." His phalanges squeezed at her hip slightly and she felt her cheeks get warmer, and despite the fact that she rolled her eyes at him, she was smiling.

"Yeah, yeah..." she mumbled, bumping her hip against him when she caught the look he was giving her (had he eyebrows, she would have told him to put them back down). Even though it had been a few months since their first movie-session-turned-makeout-session, it never failed to fluster her whenever he'd talk about doing those sorts of things. Kissing was different with him (not that she kissed that many people before), but it was still about as perfect as she could ever hope for, dating a skeleton and all. _'Apparently I'm a necrophiliac now...'_ The bitter snort of laughter she gave didn't help her feel any better about the words, but the comforting arm around her waist did, and it was hard to focus on something so negative when he was around.

...Even if he was acting so strangely.

Any time anyone happened to get too close to her Sans would pull her away, eyesockets narrowed in a suspicious glare, and though the closeness did feel good, she was starting to get a little concerned when he actually _growled_ at a couple that nearly bumped into her. They'd been looking at their phones and chatting loudly, not paying any attention at all to where they were headed, but the growl brought them back to the present moment fairly quickly. They were both monsters, one of them an alligator with a mess of blonde hair and too much lip gloss, and the other was a pastel-colored cat with a shock of blue hair and eyeshadow two shades too dark. They seemed to recognize Sans and, when he realized who they were, he sighed.

"Oh my god, like, sorry about that," the reptilian said shortly, her voice far rougher sounding for being a female, like there was a small hiss underlying every word. "Catty and I were, like, _totally_ too busy watching a MTT stream on our phones!" The other monster, 'Catty', nodded eagerly, practically purring as she held her phone up to her chubby face, nuzzling against it much like a pet cat would rub against someone's leg.

"Yeah! We, like, _toootally_ didn't see you there Sans!" Her golden-colored cats eyes flickered over to the human in the skeleton's grip and she gasped loudly, raising a paw to cover her mouth. "Oh. My. _Gawd!_ Bratty, look! He's, like, really got a grip on her, huh?"

"Woah, Catty, you're right! Wow Sans. We, like, didn't peg you as having a _human fetish_." The human's eyes widened, her face flushing a bright red, and Sans let out an even heavier sigh. "Not judging! Like, it's just..."

"...not what we expected!" Catty leaned forward and peered more closely at the human's face, squinting her eyes and wrinkling her nose thoughtfully. "Hmm... He, like, has pretty good taste, don't you think, Bratty?" The alligator nodded, raising a claw to her snout as she laughed. "Yeah! Good job, Sans! She looks, like, totally-"

" _-delicious._ " A silence fell over the little group as the monster womens' eyes widened, glancing at eachother before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Oh my _Gawd_ , Bratty!"

"What? You were thinking it!"

"Yeah, but you said it!"

Sans huffed out a short, growling breath and lead himself and Lena further down the aisle, past the two laughing monsters until, finally, they were out of hearing range. "I swear to god, those two give me the biggest headache..." Giving a small, nervous chuckle, the human reached out and grabbed a bag of potato chips and dropped them into the basket.

"I-I'm sure that they mean well... Nice to see that other monsters approve of me being with you," she said quietly, lips spreading into a small, genuine smile. Sans snorted. Leave it to her to find the positive statement in that mess of a 'conversation' they were unfortunate enough to be a part of.

"Yeah, well, they were right." He stood up on his toes and leaned up to press a toothy kiss to her cheek, nuzzling his nasal ridge against her freckled skin as his voice dropped an octave. "You _do_ look delicious." He delighted in the way that she stiffened, her skin flushing a vibrant red as she sputtered slightly in embarrassment. "C'mon, _sweet cheeks_ , let's hurry up and get home. We've got a movie to watch."

* * *

 **[[ Annnnd there we have it. Sorry if Bratty and Catty's interaction and dialogue made you want to claw your eyes out. Honestly haven't ever written them before, soooo...yeah. That's my excuse. Hopefully I'll get better as I write them more. ;w; Hope you all enjoyed, and again, be sure to check this fic out on tumblr! (life-sans-sin) And leave me comments! Your comments give me life! Love you guys! ]]**


	36. Chapter 36

**[[ Okie dokie guys, this chapter's where I've started trying to put some actual PLOT into play here, so bear with me. I hope it was at least worth the wait, and don't worry, I'm already starting on the next chapter, because it follows up closely with this one. Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

"THANK YOU, COME AGAIN!" The door to the little coffee and pastry shop closed with the tinkling of a small bell and Papyrus watched as the happy couple walked out into the cool afternoon, paper cups in hand, smiling at each other. That was his favorite part of his work. True, working as a second- er, a _seventh_ hand for Muffet wasn't necessarily his dream job (that was still being a member of the Royal Guard, even though it had long since been disbanded), but he still found quite a bit of his work for the spider monster to be fulfilling. He got to see lots of people every single day! Most of them were monsters, but some of them were humans, too! Sans had told him once he found the job that he needed to be careful, that not all humans were nice...and Papyrus had agreed, despite wanting to tell his older broth out, that he wasn't a baby-bones anymore. _'He just worries, that's all.'_

Though...his brother's fears were well founded. He knew that. Even being the ever-optimistic soul he was, he couldn't ignore the news. Talk of murders happening, of humans being left cold without blood, of monsters vanishing with nothing more than a pile of dust in their wake. Human and monster relations had begun to strain against the weight of all the death, and Papyrus knew it was only a matter of time before the thin strand holding things together would snap. But he had faith. He wasn't a religious skeleton by any means, but he _believed_ in the good of people, monster and human alike. He believed, deep within his very soul, that things could get better, and so he didn't trouble himself with too many thoughts of the bad that was happening just outside their little town. Sans worried enough for the both of them, as he always had. The least Papyrus could do was keep himself as a hopeful beacon in the darkness for his brother to turn to.

The little chime of the bell situated over the shop's door pulled him from his thoughts and he shook his skull slightly, giving a bright smile. "WELCOME!" A human woman stood, looking fairly uncertain just inside the doorway. "WOULD YOU LIKE SOMETHING TO DRINK? WE HAVE THE BEST COFFEE IN ALL OF TAOBH! AND THERE'S A FRESH BATCH OF SPIDER DONUTS!" he said warmly, gesturing a gloved hand to the display case where all of their sweets and pastries were kept. The human glanced at it, then smiled back at him. He didn't miss the small look of disdain that passed over her face, however.

"Though that sounds lovely, I'm afraid I'm on a diet." Papyrus raised a browbone, obviously confused as he allowed his gaze to travel over the human. She was incredibly thin (at least, by 'human standards', he believed), so there was no need for her to diet, he was certain. He was about to tell her as much, but she laughed, the sound light, like the tinkling of a bell. "Do you make just regular coffee?" She ran a hand through her long, platinum blonde tresses, brushing it over her shoulder to fall, razor-straight, behind her. The human made her way toward one of the small cafe's tables, setting her purse and a thick tape-bound folder on the smooth wood surface.

"CERTAINLY! WOULD YOU LIKE DECAF OR REGULAR?" he asked, and as he touched the edges of a ceramic mug, he saw her lips twitch downward slightly, her ice-blue eyes narrowing.

"Ah, actually... I'm sorry, but do you have a human co-worker who could make it for me?" A cold beat of some unpleasant emotion trailed through his soul, but he pushed past it easily, his smile widening.

"NOPE, IT'S JUST ME TODAY! WELL, ME AND MISS MUFFET..." He set the mug down and, feeling a small tickling on the back of his skull, perked up. "OH! AND THE LITTLE ONES, OF COURSE!" As if on que, dozens of tiny spider monsters crawled out from behind cabinets, carrying a menu. The woman drew back, flinching as if the sight of them alone repulsed her, and her laugh was sweeter than any spider donut. _'I never did like artificial sweetener,'_ Papyrus mused to himself, watching the human grab her purse and retreat toward the door on shaky heels.

"I see... Then I'm afraid I'll have to go elsewhere. Sorry to trouble you!" With those words and another sickly sweet smile, she turned on her too-tall heel and strode out of the shop. A sigh slipped from between the skeleton's teeth as he glanced down at the little spiders who, upon seeing the human flee, looked up at him, sadness glittering in their eight teeny eyes. He smiled and bent down to take the menu from them gently, setting it back in its proper place with the others.

"DO NOT FRET, LITTLE ONES. AS SHE SAID, SHE WAS MERELY ON A DIET! SHE WAS NOT FRIGHTENED!" This seemed to cheer the tiny arachnid monsters up just a bit, because they gave a high, collective ' _kree_ ' before skittering off in the direction of the kitchen, where Muffet was humming away while she made a fresh batch of spider donuts. Once they were gone, Papyrus glanced out over the shop, something catching his eye(socket). "OH NO! THE HUMAN FORGOT HER FOLDER!" He grabbed it and crossed the shop in a few short strides, pushing the door open and stepping out amongst the throngs of people. He looked, but the human was nowhere to be seen. "SHE WILL SURELY COME BACK FOR IT. I'LL JUST KEEP IT BEHIND THE COUNTER-" Turning and walking back into the store, he stumbled as a single little spider, the tiniest of Muffet's 'little ones' stood behind him, a scrap of paper held out for him. He side-stepped and managed to catch himself before he fell, but the folder slipped from between his gloved fingers, falling to the ground. The tape holding it shut tore easily, sending papers scattering across the floor. Papyrus breathed a sigh of relief, stooping down to pick up the tiny arachnid. "YOU MUST MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN! I NEARLY STEPPED ON YOU, SPRINKLE!" he scolded gently, though it was hardly a scolding when the nickname made the spider squeak softly and his face broke out into a grin. "NYEH HEH HEH! YOU NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL, ALRIGHT?" He extended a single gloved fingertip and gently pet the spider on the head, listening to it purr and chirp softly as it nuzzled up against the touch. He carefully set the arachnid down on the counter and it scurried off to join the others, he assumed, as he turned to the mess of papers on the floor now with a sigh.

"OH WELL. NOW TO GET THIS CLEANED UP!" Stooping down, Papyrus carefully began picking up the pieces of paper, trying to keep his eyesockets from trailing too long across them. It wasn't his and, thus, not any business of his to read! He gently set them back in the folder, humming softly to himself, when a familiar image caught his eye. _'It is my dear human friends!'_ Smiling, he carefully grabbed the photograph to look at it more closely. It looked like it was taken at the school, with Frisk making funny faces at a group of monster children (Monster Kid among them, which made Papyrus grin wider) and, behind them all, was Lena, arms wrapped around her stomach as she apparently laughed in what looked like delight. Frisk was one of the best at making faces, Papyrus had to admit. _'Maybe that woman was a friend of the human Lena's!'_ He set it in the folder and continued to clean up, only to come across another photo. This one was a bit more obscure, taken through a window, from the looks of it. Lena was sitting at her desk looking at papers, probably grading them, and her tongue was sticking out from the corner of her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed in avid concentration. Then another, of Lena's SUV. And one of her license plates. Frowning slightly, Papyrus set them neatly into a pile. _'How strange...'_ The final photograph was of her and his brother, Sans, holding hands and walking down one of Taobh's main streets. _'Probably from Grillby's...'_ he deduced, recognizing the background. Despite the fact that he very rarely actually went to Grillby's, he knew the location well enough. Only natural for him to know his brother's favorite places! He was the best of brothers.

The papers were all black and white print, very plain looking, but a few of the bolded words caught his attention, and, despite his effort to not read something that wasn't his, he couldn't help but notice them.

" **Leannán O'Brennike** **" ... "skeletons" ... "inter-species relationship" ... "Human Pride" ... "corrective measures" ... "NAME"**

Frowning, he glanced around the shop nervously for only a moment before he read more closely. "... 'IT IS WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT THAT WE REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE AND EXPERTISE OF **NAME** ' ...THAT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE. WHAT ON EARTH DOES 'NAME' MEAN?" He set the paper he'd been reading into the folder along with the rest, standing and walking across the little shop to set the folder back on the table. Pausing, however, he blinked his sockets slowly as his mind worked over everything he'd just seen. Whatever this folder was for, whatever these papers were meant for, it had something to do with his friend. ...Surely being a bit meddlesome because of that wouldn't be too awful, right? Before he even had the chance to come to a conclusion himself, the swinging doors to the back room and kitchen burst open and, standing there with one pair of arms situated with hands on her hips and the other two sets of arms crossed firmly over her frilly blouse, there stood Muffet. Her eyes were all narrowed as she scanned the room then, flitting back to Papyrus, she smiled.

"Dearie, were you taking a break? You know that time is money, don't you?" she asked, her voice light and lyrical, but the tone lying just underneath it still sent a small shudder down the skeleton's spine.

"YES! I MEAN, NO, I WAS NOT TAKING A BREAK. A CUSTOMER FORGOT SOMETHING AND-" She strode around the counter and across the room, uncrossing her top-most set of arms and easily plucking the file from between his gloved hands.

"The dear little ones told me all about it," she cooed, lifting her free hand to his skull, where he felt a small skittering as a tiny spider climbed from him onto her extended fingers. "It is quite troublesome news, I must admit. Who did you say left this here? Someone you know?"

"NO, I AM AFRAID I DO NOT KNOW THEM... BUT THEY SEEM TO KNOW MY FRIEND. I DON'T KNOW WHY." Her eyes narrowed at this, but her smile stayed firmly in place.

"I see... Well, fear not, Dearie. I'll keep several eyes open for anything strange! Ahuhu~" She giggled, raising a hand to her mouth in a very ladylike manner to try and conceal it, holding the folder tightly to her chest. "I'll also be holding onto this. I feel as though it's important that it doesn't get returned." Papyrus frowned slightly, raising a hand to rub at the back of his skull. Seeing his unease, she smiled up at him brightly, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry! If any trouble were to come of it, I will take the blame. Besides, if the customer were to come back, then it's better if someone who is here at all times holds it...right?" She was a convincing spideress, so, with a small sigh, Papyrus nodded. "Good! Now, off you go! Your shift is nearly over, but you're free to leave a bit early today."

"WH-WHAT? ARE YOU SURE, MISS MUFFET?" She simply laughed and waved him off. He slipped off his apron and draped it across the counter, and his gloved hand was on the door when her voice stopped him.

"Do take care heading home tonight, dearie." Raising a browbone at her, he nodded and pushed the door open, stepping out into the cool evening air. A shiver ran through his soul that had little to do with the air. He had things to talk about with Sans when he got home.

* * *

The final shift of the day always seemed to drag on the longest. Sans glanced up from his phone, eyelights flickering up toward the clock to check the time for what felt like the hundredth time since his break. The dinner rush was over, not that many people really bothered to stop by and get hot dogs on their way home from work, but there were enough customers that his tip jar had gotten half-full during the one hour long 'busy period'. _'Won't be too big a deal if I cut out early today...'_ There hadn't been a single customer within the last half hour, leaving him sitting, spamming his brother on Undernet with anonymous messages full of puns and shitty jokes. It brought a smile to his face whenever he would get a message in return, whether it was random keyboard-spamming or something actually coherent. Find joy in the little things, right?

After waiting another five minutes he shoved his phone into the pocket of his basketball shorts and got up from his stool placed conveniently behind his hotdog stand. He pulled the cart by its wheels and walked it the short distance to the tiny storage shack behind the Nice Cream parlor. He was able to work out a deal with the aqua-furred rabbit who ran the joint, since he had a part-time job there, so he had free storage for the cart and a fridge to keep the hot dogs and condiments. All of it free of charge, too. He wasn't terribly fond of the rabbit monster (they always came off as too cheery for his tastes), but he respected someone who could help out a pal. He looped the heavy chain through the handles of the thin steel doors before he clipped on the heavy padlock, giving the dial a few thoughtless twists before letting it fall with a small _'clank'_.

Papyrus was surely off work already, and Lena would already be at home waiting for him. Dinner would probably already be over, but she'd be waiting up for him, ready with a plate of leftovers ready to warm up like she always was. Since when had he grown so used to this? When did the pleasantries of a domestic life actually start to feel, dare he say, _normal_? A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he turned and began his leisurely stroll through the narrow alleyway toward the sidewalk.

"Hey, check it out!" A nasally-sounding voice cut through the quiet murmur of noise from his surroundings, of vehicles driving by on the main road and conversation of people as they strolled down the sidewalk on their merry way. Sans glanced around the corner and saw a group of humans standing over a familiar-looking cat monster.

"Listen, little buddy, I don't want any trouble...but if I don't book it, my boss'll have my hide," the feline grumbled out in a flat tone, marred by the slightest bit of nervousness. The humans, three males, from what Sans could tell, all laughed, stepping closer to the monster, who instinctively backed up a few paces.

"'Little buddy'...? Hey, it's not very polite to say somethin' like that to a stranger." The 'leader' of the little pack, a bronze-skinned bleach blond with short gelled hair, reached a hand out and grabbed Burgerpants' shoulder, shoving him until the monster's back hit the brick wall behind him. His pointed ears flattened against his skull and the fur along his arms and back raised anxiously, tail puffing up as his hair stood on end. The blond human barked a laugh, giving another shove so the feline's shoulder ground against the brick. "Hey, look's like we've got a real _pussy_ on our hands!" The other two cackled along with him, and Sans decided that he had seen enough. Sockets sliding closed, he fell through emptiness for a second before appearing behind the group of humans, the smell of ozone and a faint energy charging the air

"Hey guys, c'mon, can't you _cat_ the guy a break?" Startled, the three men whirled around to look at Sans, their eyes narrowing.

"Buzz off, this has nothin' to do with you, _freak_ ," one of the other humans spat, nose wrinkling as if looking at him left a foul taste in his mouth. Sans shrugged his shoulders slightly, a lazy grin spreading across his face as he stepped closer. They stepped back, much like how Burgerpants had when they'd approached him.

"Hate to _bee_ that kinda guy, but I can't just _buzz_ off. You're keepin' my pal here from gettin' to work, so if you could just let him go-"

"Fuck off, demon!" The quieter of the three humans spat at him, the wetness splattering across the skeleton's cheek, and he flinched. Behind them Burgerpants began to tremble, eyes wide as saucers as he slowly began to edge away from them, his uniform shirt scratching quietly against the rough brick. Sans' eyesockets were empty, devoid of any light, and his smile was stretched so wide that his cheekbones burned from the strain.

"Now, see..." he drawled, his voice light and playful despite the thick tension in the air, and he raised an arm to wipe away the offending spit with his sleeve. "I'm not a violent guy. 'm pretty laid-back, prefer to just settle things peacefully..." The feline monster broke away from the alley and bolted, his feet slapping noisily against the pavement until, after a few seconds, he was out of sight. _'Good, he's in the clear. Now I can just-'_ Before he could even finish his thought, his magic was responding on its own, and he ducked out of the way just as a fist flew past his left temple.

"You let him get away!"

"Fuck, what're we gonna do?! If we come back without that cat freak, we're dead!"

"Shut up!" the blond barked out, sending Sans a narrow-eyed glare. "You two go find him. I'll take care of this _monster_." Sans snorted. It was always so funny when people called them that simply because of how unoriginal it was. He'd heard more creative insults from children. The other two looked at eachother for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to obey. "Now!" They flinched and quickly left the alley, running off in the same direction Burgerpants had gone in.

"Ya really don't wanna do this, bucko," the skeleton drawled, hands shoving deeply into his pockets. The human forced out a harsh laugh and stepped closer, shoulders squared. When Sans didn't step back as he'd been expected to, the blond scowled, hand reaching to his hip. It didn't take much for Sans to be able to tell what was going to happen. Even without a nose, he could smell the intent on this human from miles away. _'LV of 15. Bad soul.'_ It wasn't his domain to cast judgment any longer, but he still found himself slipping back into those same habits, the same thoughts.

"Shut the fuck up, freak." Without missing a beat, Sans tilted his skull upward slightly, so he was looking at the human's face. His sockets were still dark, empty.

"So what sorta beef do a few human punks have with a dork like Burgerpants? Does he owe you money, or what?"

"None of your fucking business!" Sans dodged to the side easily as the blond's fist came flying past his skull. He reached a bony hand up and roughly grabbed his wrist, wrenching it around so it twisted painfully. The human gave out a small pained shout as Sans inspected his fist. There, in fresh black ink across his knuckles, was a tattoo, still fresh, the skin red and puffy.

"So tell me, bub...What's the 'NAME' of your game here?" He released his hold on the human just as he tried to wrench himself back, leaving him stumbling backwards and falling onto his ass on the filthy ground. "You're a pretty shitty person, aren't ya? Ya got enough LOVE... I bet yer hands are covered in blood 'n dust."

"I'm not about to let some skeleton tell me what kind of person I am. You filthy monster. All of you!" The human got to his feet and reached a hand back to a small leather pouch fastened tightly on the back of his belt. "You ought to go right the fuck back where you filthy freaks came from! The world's turned to shit ever since you all showed up. You and that traitorous brat!" Sans browbone twitched the faintest bit at this, his smile falling into more of a grimace.

"Nah, nah... See, here's what I think," the skeletal monster said flatly, eyesockets falling closed as he moved to lean against the wall. "You humans are just lookin' for a new thing to hate. You always are." A humorless snort, and he shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, ya even hate amongst yer own kind, and fer what? Lookin' different? Soundin' different? Lovin' different people?"

"Shut up, shut up! Don't talk like all you monsters are innocent! One of you demons killed my sister!" the human bellowed, and Sans' eyes opened, the lights returned, though no more than dim pricks of light. He looked over the human, who was trembling where he stood with poorly concealed rage, teeth grinding together so loudly that it made Sans want to cringe. "Sh-she was just a pile of ash, laying in some dirty alley... She never hurt anyone... ...So now," he ground out, flipping the thick leather pouch open, "I'm gonna send you bastards back to hell where you belong! Now _DIE_." He grasped a short hilt and, with a flash of silver, Sans found a knife sticking right where he skull had been, between the bricks. Wedged in the mortar was a worn dagger, the edges covered in a gruesome mix of blood and dust, congealed and solidified to the blade. Sans quickly put space between himself and the human, moving back toward the rear of the Nice Cream shop, away from the main road. He didn't want any innocent bystanders to get dragged into this, even if he, himself, technically was one.

"Hey, buddy, it's _knife_ that you wanna get close to me, but uh... I have a thing about personal space, y'know?" He forced a humorless chuckle, but it died as an eerily child-like giggle filled the alleyway.

Then he felt it.

An abyss, much like the Void. It was dark, darker, yet darker still, darker than anything he had ever seen in his entire lifetime, over the multitude of timelines. He tried to pinpoint it, to locate it, but found himself unable to find the newcomer that had joined their little alleyway brawl. ...Though, it was difficult to find someone who was already there.

The sound of metal against mortar grated upon the air, and Sans watched as the human pulled the dagger from between the bricks, watched the small flecks of dried blood and dust get scratched off and fall to the ground. _'A bad soul...'_ It was then that he realized where the darkness was coming from. There, hidden just behind the human's soul, was something else. A second soul. He jerked his left hand out of his pocket and magic flared to life in his left eyesocket, a faint glow encasing his hand as he summoned forth the human's soul. A burst of sickly yellow light cast itself over the brick walls and trash-littered ground, and he couldn't help but feel the irony of it. A soul of Justice. But from the way the yellow faded out to a disgusting gray in places told him that it had fallen far. At one point, perhaps, it might've been a mighty soul with a solar-quality glow, but now...something had tainted it.

Or, perhaps more accurately, _someone._

A second heart-shape floated ominously from behind the first, black as pitch. It seemed to absorb the light from the surrounding area, making everything look dark, overcast, hopeless. Before he could question what it was, the souls were pulled back into the human's body, and he had to sidestep another attack. This one, however, was far more coordinated, and the knife nicked the sleeve of his hoodie. He breathed a curse as he watched his attacker spin, almost gracefully, and go for another stab, and another, and another. The blade was just in front of his eyesocket, ready to gouge deep into the bone, and his magic flared protectively. He seemed to blip out of existence for a moment, only to appear just behind the human. The giggling continued, and the human doubled over, arms wrapping around their stomach in their mirth.

" _Ahh...you always were a wily one, smiley trashbag_."

It felt as if a lightning bolt had struck his very soul, his magic bubbling anxiously within his bones and his sockets widened. "...no." They continued to laugh and Sans' eyesocket flared brightly, hand raised as he prepared to attack.

" _You'll attack me? A human? My, my, how would everyone else see this situation...?"_ they mused, voice bordering on joyous as they spun the blade between their fingers. " _You kill this human, and then I'll possess another...or perhaps I'll choose a monster next time. Maybe another skeleton!"_ Sans flinched visibly, his mouth turning down into a scowl, sockets narrowing. The human's now crimson eyes narrowed to mere slits, the smile on their face far too sharp to be natural. _"Or maybe I will choose a human after all..."_

"You stay the hell away from them."

" _Or you'll what? Hmmmm? You're powerless, and you know it!"_ They gave a bubbly giggle and took a slow step closer, raising the knife to run their tongue across. Sans watched as the dust and blood got licked away and, if he had a stomach, he's certain it would've emptied itself. _"Just give up. You did before and, don't you remember? It was so much easier~!"_

"Why are you doing this...? What the fuck do you want?!"

" _What I want...?"_ They tapped a finger to their chin in thought, and Sans felt rage boil within his bones at the mere thought that there wasn't a reason at all. _"I just want to destroy everything. Is that too much to ask?"_ Their smiling expression fell, and then sent him a glare that felt jagged, he could feel his soul shuddering. _"Humans are wretched creatures. And monsters are betrayers. All of you deserve to die. It's as simple as that."_ The dagger was thrust forward again, only this time Sans didn't move. It grazed his cheekbone, and he flinched as he felt the bone crack slightly under the force. A worn, blunt knife could only do so much.

"Yer kinda fucked up, aren't ya, brat?" Sans stepped out of the way as the human whirled, ready for another attack. They were moving far too fast, faster than humanly possible, the power of the black soul granting them abilities they didn't have otherwise. He ducked and weaved out of the way, avoiding the blunt attacks. The sound of voices coming from the alleyway distracted him, though, as he turned to try and tell them to run. A sharp pain blossomed from his forearm, and he jerked his arm back to see bright blue marrow seeping out of the cracks and fissures in the bone of his radius. "Shit-" He lost his footing, slippers catching on the edge of a dumpster, and he was unable to catch himself before he fell, bashing the back of his skull against the hard ground. The dagger was thrust in his face, hovering just inches away from his glowing eyesocket, and the human gave a pleased chuckle.

" _Do you remember this feeling? The feeling of when you're about to die?"_ Sans chest froze, holding his breath as he tried to think of something, _anything_ he could do. The cold feeling of dread that settled over his bones mingled well with the pain, and he found himself thinking far back to other times when he had died.

...Only, he hadn't, had he? He was still here, despite everything else, despite all of the hurdles and hardships. He was still here.

' _I wonder if she's got dinner waitin' for me...'_ That lone thought, strange though it was in timing, crossed his mind, and he felt his soul clench painfully in his chest. He didn't want to die, not here, not now. For the first time in...stars, in so long, he had something that made him want to keep going. Something that made him want to actually live, not just survive, to look forward to the future.

 _Hope._

A soft white glow encased his soul, peeking through the openings in his ribs, and the human's already narrowed eyes closed, an expression of disgust passing over their face.

" _I won't kill you yet, don't worry. I'll make sure you see your human bled out at your feet before that happens_ ," they practically sang, eyes glowing more fiercely and casting a blood-colored glow. " _Until then, try and remember the advice I gave you._ " They flipped the knife around their fingers until it was pointed toward the ground, and they grabbed the hilt tightly with both hands. " _See you soon, smiley trashbag._ " The knife plunged downward into the human's gut, piercing the skin and muscle and tissue, and Sans watched as a rivulet of deep ruby-colored blood soaked through their shirt, dripping downward.

He opened a doorway beneath him and fell through the familiar emptiness that the Void had to offer.

* * *

It had taken him a good long while before he could calm down his raging magic. His soul finally ceased its frantic beating against the inside of his ribs, and as he opened his eyes to glance around the Void, he was startled to find a giant canine-like skull floating before him. It reached out to nuzzle its bony snout against his ribs and he couldn't help but huff a laugh, raising a hand to pet its muzzle. Then, just like that, it floated off again, leaving him alone in the darkness. Had it sensed his turmoil and come to watch over him...? They were sentient enough, it wasn't impossible. Still, the mere thought that something of _his_ design could be trying to look out for him left a foul taste in his mouth.

Time flowed differently from within the Void, and he could never tell how long it had been in the 'outside'. He'd spent hours there, within the vast yet strangely comforting darkness, and the lack of control over his magic when he'd first arrived made it even more difficult to tell. _'Here's to hopin' it wasn't too long...'_ He drew in a breath and closed his eyes, the sensation of falling overcoming him before, after a second, he felt solid ground beneath his feet. Standing there, outside of his apartment door, he could hear his brother talking animatedly from inside, and a small tired smile made its way onto his face. They were here, and they were safe. Breathing out a heavy sigh, he raised his hand to rest on the doorknob, only for it to pull away from him suddenly as the door swung inward.

"I WILL BE BACK IN A MO- HUH?" Papyrus stood in the doorway, filling it up with his towering frame and blocking most of the light inside from filtering out onto the front step. "OH, SANS! THERE YOU ARE!" he said brightly with a smile. "WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN, LAZYBON-" His voice died suddenly, and Sans braced himself for the questioning as he gently shouldered past him into the living room. The television had what looked like a children's movie paused on the screen, and Sans could smell popcorn in the warm apartment air. A sharp but quiet inhale alerted him that Lena was sitting on the couch, just to his right, and he turned his head slightly so he could see her.

"Hey, sorry. Had to sell a few extra 'dogs and..." he trailed off as he caught sight of Papyrus' expression, browbones furrowed together in concern and disappointment. He hated lying to his brother, but it was for his own good...at least, that's what he told himself. The taller skeleton closed the front door and knelt down on one knee so he was closer to Sans' height, raising a gloved hand to brush against his forearm. The magical marrow had already begun to harden within the fissures in the bone, trying to close them up. With a sigh he pulled off his glove with his teeth and rested his hand on it, a faint green glow encasing it as he used his healing magics.

"What happened?!" The human shoved the bowl of popcorn aside and got to her feet, leaning down and grabbing onto his hoodie sleeve. Her face was drawn into concern and her soul fluttered nervously, fearfully in her chest. He shrugged the shoulder in the sleeve she held, turning his face a bit further into the fur-lining of his hood in an attempt to hide the cracks on his face. Luck was not on his side, however, because she reached out and tucked a hand carefully under his chin, her other hand pulling away at the hood so she could inspect the damage more closely. There was a deeper crack just at the edge of his jaw that split and fractured into dozens of smaller, thinner cracks. They created a web of tiny fissures that spread from his jawline to his cheekbone, just an inch short of his eyesocket. He counted his lucky stars that it was on the right side of his face. Even if it had spread to his socket, then, at least his vision wouldn't have been effected. Hard to lose vision in an already blind eye.

"Human, please allow me to heal him." Papyrus' voice was level, obviously controlled; Sans could tell from the way the others' fingertips shook as he brushed them against the cracks, judging the damage before setting to work mending them. Lena stepped back, wringing her hands as she glanced between the two skeletons. She was appalled by the lack of reaction the younger one had, though she made sure to keep it from her face.

"Sans, what happened? You're nearly two hours late! Why are you hurt?" Once Papyrus was done and stood, Sans raised a hand to run a finger along the cracks on his forearm. They were tender, and the touch brought a fresh well of pain, but the cracks had filled in and were a faint green in color. It would probably take him a week before they faded completely. He noted with a frown that the bone had nearly cracked in two, and that it was only a quarter inch of bone that had remained unbroken. "Sans!" He jumped slightly as the human grabbed his uninjured arm and he raised his dim eyelights to meet her eyes. It hurt how desperate they looked, imploring, begging, beseeching.

He shrugged his shoulders as lazily as he could manage with how tense he still felt, "'s no big deal."

"It's no- ...no big deal? What do you mean, 'It's no big deal'? You're...you're hurt-"

"And Paps healed me. I'm fine." She frowned, her brows furrowing as she tightened her hold on him.

"No, you're not fine. What happened?" He gently shook his arm out of her grasp and shuffled into the kitchen, ducking in the fridge to grasp the bottle of ketchup resting just inside the door. "Why won't you talk to me?" she asked, her voice holding just the smallest amount of hurt, and Sans felt his soul shudder in response. He flicked the cap off and squeezed a hefty amount of ketchup into his mouth.

"Because there's nothin' to talk about."

"How can you say that? You came in with your bones broken-"

"They were only cracked-"

"-and you're acting like nothing happened!"

"Because it's no big deal. Just drop it," he said flatly, setting the bottle back in the fridge and closing the door a bit more forcefully than he needed to. He didn't want to talk about this with her, didn't want her involved. Why couldn't she just drop it? He walked back out into the living room, hoping she'd leave it alone, but he could hear her perfectly in-step right behind him.

"I can't just drop it!" Her voice was raising slightly, her cheeks tinting a faint red as she started to get worked up. "Sans, if it were me, you'd be demanding I tell you _everything_!" He tensed slightly, pausing in his steps, and she took the opportunity to reach out and grab his sleeve again.

"It's not the same. Just leave it alone, Lena."

"How is it not the same?" she asked pointedly, and he huffed out a breath in frustration. "I got that letter and you demanded to know! I got a scratch from a student and you demanded to know! If Pappy gets hurt, you demand to know! Why are we not allowed to know what's wrong?!"

"It's got nothin' to fuckin' do with you!" Papyrus stood to the side, hands outstretched as if he wanted to do something, say something, but he didn't know what. He watched as the two began to argue, voices being raised, and he was nothing short of shocked to hear his brother actually yell.

"How does it have nothing to do with me?! Someone I love is hurt, I want to help!"

"Yeah, well, you can't! You have no place in this and you proddin' at me is just pissin' me off! Butt out!" The human flinched slightly, verdant eyes widening slightly before they narrowed, tears gathering at their corners. Frustrated and not wanting to feel guilty, he turned on his heel and stormed to the front door, ripping it open. "'m goin' to Grillby's." With that, the door slammed shut behind him, and he cut a doorway in front of him. He stepped through and it sprung closed behind him just as he heard the front door open, a voice calling out to him but, with the angry buzzing of magic in his skull, he couldn't tell whose it was.

Now alone in the emptiness once again, he pressed the heels of his bony palms to his eyesockets and growled. "Fuck."

* * *

 **[[ Hope you all enjoyed it! And I really do hope it was worth the wait. I've been struggling a bit more lately with writing (block? something? idfk man) and I'm gonna try hard to get back to my usual update frequency. Maybe getting on an actual schedule would help... ;w; Be sure to comment if you enjoyed it, and you can check it out on Tumblr! (life-sans-sin)**

 **ALSO! Be sure to check out my drabbles collection! It's tied to this fic, and I already have a couple requests I've filled and written (one of them is NSFW) but anyway... Love you guys! ]]**


	37. (!) Making Up For Lost Time (!)

**[[ This is the longest chapter I've written to date for this fic. It took me longer than I wanted, but I'm happy with how it turned out.**

 **NSFW, sexual content at the end of this chapter! 18+ only! If you're too young then just read to the (*SINNAMON ROLL*) and you'll be good. Or just don't read this fic. Cus, y'know, it's rated M. Yeah.**

 **Hope you all enjoy it! ]]**

* * *

Papyrus hated conflict. Despite having at one point wanted to join the Royal Guard, he wasn't too terribly fond of altercations of any sort. Fighting just wasn't his style, wasn't the way he worked. Why fight when you can just talk things over in a calm and level manner? It was much more efficient (not to mention intelligent) to go about things that way and, in most cases, lead to far fewer misunderstandings. Sure, he still had difficulty grasping things from time to time, but so did any other person! Despite how many people seemed to view him, Papyrus was incredibly intelligent. Perhaps not in the way of 'book smarts', but he had an incredibly sharp sense of intuition, and he was insightful. He was able to perceive what someone's next fifty moves would be after only seeing two or three. But he was seen as naive and childish, having so much hope and trying to see the best in people. Even his brother often times treated him as though he were better off 'not knowing' things.

He tried to remind himself, though, that it wasn't just him that Sans did that to. No, Sans was stubborn, and, through whatever experiences that still weighed heavily on his soul, he'd taken on the belief that it was better for him to endure on his own. Even though his brother thought that he was doing well to hide his struggles, Papyrus could see it. He had always been able to see it, but he played the fool, letting Sans believe that he was none the wiser. In return, Papyrus had learned how to support and comfort Sans in ways that weren't quite so direct. Being his usual happy, hopeful self seemed to do the trick, more often than not.

But that, he realized, would not work this time.

It took him several moments to realize that his eyesockets had begun to emit a soft orange glow, a comforting measure that seemed to be more instinct than a conscious action. The cause of this was an argument, a very serious one, at that, taking place between his brother and human friend. Worry made his soul shiver beneath his ribs, but he pushed it aside, instead insisting on healing his brother's wounds. The cracks that spider-webbed their way across the shorter skeleton's jaw weren't as bad as they appeared, mostly superficial, but they still held the risk of deepening. It was his arm that had taken the worst of the damage, his radius holding a deep fissure that nearly cracked it in two. There was iridescent blue marrow seeping from the wound, dripping through the tear in his sleeve, staining the navy blue fabric. He could tell that something bad had happened; that much was painfully obvious. However, true to form, his brother stayed quiet, refusing to talk, and Papyrus...was so used to it that he merely shrugged it off. Healing him was more important right in that moment, and there would be opportunity to grill him for answers later, when his HP wasn't dipping below the 0.75 range.

So it was with a sense of understanding as he watched the human try and delve into the reasoning for why Sans was late, why he returned home with injuries. Many times he himself had tried to do the same, but he had learned that pushing only made the door close more tightly. Lena was normally so quiet, not ever raising her voice or speaking out like this, and Papyrus had hoped that she would give up on her own, give Sans the time to cope in his own way...but she was DETERMINED.

"It's got nothin' to fuckin' do with you!" Papyrus' eyesockets widened in shock as his brother's deep voice raised, gravelly and rough with emotion, and he reached his hands out uselessly, wanting to do something, but not knowing what. He couldn't even think of anything to say, not wanting to get between the two of them. The human flinched slightly, but she pressed onward, and the room suddenly felt like the air was pressurized, ready to burst at the first possible opening.

"How does it have nothing to do with me?!" she asked, voice rising to something nearly shrill. "Someone I love is hurt, I want to help!"

"Yeah, well, you can't!" Sans ripped his arm out of the human's grasp, his bony hands clenching into fists so tightly that the sound of bone grinding together filled the air. "You have no place in this and you proddin' at me is just pissin' me off! Butt out!" Papyrus felt his soul squeeze within him, his eyesockets widening as he glanced from his frustrated brother to the human, who had fallen silent. Tears were beginning to gather at the corners of her eyes, and he could see her frame tense where she stood. "'m goin' to Grillby's." The door slammed shut, breaking Papyrus from his reverie, and he stormed to the door and tore it open, calling out for his brother, only to see him blip out of sight.

He hissed a sigh through his teeth, turning back to the living room just in time for the human's bedroom door to slam shut, as well. He felt pulled in two directions, and he wasn't sure which way he was supposed to go. Sans needed time to calm down, he knew that, for certain. He carefully closed the door and stood helplessly in the middle of the living room for a moment, staring at the floor and trying to think of what to do. _'Surely...taking care of my brother's human in his absence is the best brotherly thing I can do.'_ With this thought in mind he quietly walked to Lena's door, foregoing knocking and instead turning the knob as silently as he could, pulling the door open to peer inside. There was a mass underneath the blankets, quivering, and Papyrus felt his soul tighten painfully. The room gently lit by the glow of his eyesockets, he closed the door behind him quietly and and padded across the room, hesitating only for a moment before sitting on the edge of her bed. The mattress dipped beneath his weight and he felt her flinch. "It is me," he reassured, his voice soft, and he wasn't sure if she was reassured or disappointed in the sigh that she gave.

When she made no move to remove herself from the covers he moved to lay on his side, draping his arm over her and pulling her close to his ribcage. Almost instantly the trembling worsened, and he heard her choke on a sob, muffled whimpers and cries escaping the bundle of blankets. The glow of his sockets brightened, bathing the room in an orange light. "My brother is the biggest of boneheads. He is...under the impression that he has to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders." The bundle in his arms sniffled and he sighed, leaning to rest his skull against what he assumed to be her head. "I know that all too well, and he is...stubborn. It is not you, Lena." Slowly, she moved and uncovered her head with the blankets, and Papyrus could see that her cheeks were red, wet with tears. He smiled sadly and raised a hand to swipe at her cheekbone with his gloved thumb, wiping away the tears. "I mean that, truly and sincerely. It is not you. It isn't that he doesn't trust you. He just...wants to keep us safe and happy, despite how unhappy it makes us that he chooses to suffer alone." The human nodded slightly, still crying, but she looked far less tormented. No doubt she probably felt like Papyrus himself had, that his brother didn't trust him or believe in him.

"I was just w-worried about him..." she mumbled, her voice watery, and he gave a small hum in agreement. "I... I shouldn't have yelled at him..."

"No, you were in the right. Though I hate arguing, you meant well...just as Sans means well." He ran his fingers through her hair, smiling as she settled down against him, her breathing settling. "I still do not know exactly what my brother has gone through, but it has led to him having difficulty in communicating to others. He handles things...differently than most. It is not the most healthy way, but he has improved greatly since we left the Underground. But, of course, Sans does not talk about these things..." he mumbled, resting his chin against the top of her head. "There was no way you could have known." She gave a tentative nod and murmured a quiet 'thank you', and Papyrus leaned forward to gently knock his teeth against her forehead. "Mwah!" A small, tired giggle rewarded him for his efforts and he sat up, patting her on the head affectionately. "Perhaps you should go and talk to Her Majesty. She is my brother's closest friend, aside from yours truly! Perhaps she could help you understand how to talk to him...?" Her lips pulled down into a small frown, but she nodded, and his face immediately brightened. "EXCELLENT! I SHALL CALL HER MAJESTY FORTHWITH!"

* * *

The growls and ' _murr_ 's of several floating skulls gave little comfort; to be honest, he could hardly hear them at all past the angry buzzing of magic in his bones. He didn't linger, though. Instead, he fell through the emptiness until he landed on the sidewalk just outside of the familiar brick building. It filled him with a small bit of nostalgia. It had been built as an exact replica of the building in Snowdin, though the neon sign lighting up the front said "Grillby's II." Even from outside he could smell the familiar scents of burgers and fries, fried foods, and beer.

He intended to have a drink or four before he had to go home.

Pulling on his best smile he strode into the bar, immediately being greeted with a chorus of voices calling his name. Dogaressa caught his eye and, when he noticed her concerned expression, he gave her a wink and a wave, his way of saying 'don't worry about it.' He sidled up to the bar and hopped onto his usual stool, leaning against the bar with his arms folded. The door to the back room swung open and the warm glow of Grillby's flames filled the bar. Sans immediately relaxed a bit.

"Heya Grillbz. Order 'a fries and a whiskey." The flame elemental paused in his reach beneath the bar, the flames higher on his forehead raising slightly in his way of raising a brow, then nodded. He pulled out the bottle of ketchup he'd been in the process of grabbing and set it on the counter, turning around to fix Sans his drink. A short tumbler glass was filled with ice and he took great care as he poured the amber liquid over it, sliding the glass across the smooth wood counter and into Sans' awaiting hand. The skeleton raised the glass and gave his friend a tired grin, muttering a short 'thanks' before tipping it back and draining it completely. The alcohol created a pleasant burn, spreading warmth through his soul.

" _So?_ " The soft whispering voice pulled Sans from enjoying the sensation, browbone raised in question. Grillby picked up a freshly washed glass and grabbed a cloth to begin drying it. " _You don't usually just come in for a drink anymore..._ " The white spots of flame where the elemental's eyes were narrowed and he leaned forward slightly, setting the glass and rag down on the counter. " _What happened?_ " he asked, gesturing toward Sans' jaw. The skeleton shook the glass, the ice clinking noisily against the side, and Grillby huffed a smokey sigh as he moved to refill it.

"Ta be honest Grillbz... I'm not sure what happened. I, uh, broke up a fight, and I kinda got caught in the crossfire..." The flame elemental's eyes narrowed further.

"I did hear about the altercation that took place. A human was found very nearly dead in the alleyway beside the Nice Cream parlor. ...You didn't...?" Sans frowned, the lights vanishing from his eyes.

"No, they did it themselves. I didn't attack 'em... 's why I got these," he mumbled, gesturing to the recently healed cracks in his bones. Grillby seemed to relax slightly at this, nodding. Sans took another long drink from his glass, already feeling the slightest bit of looseness that came from consuming alcohol. It always affected monsters differently, because of how their magic broke down the things they ate or drank. They felt the effects sooner, but it lasted a much shorter amount of time. "I went home after that...shit show...and I get yelled at. So I came here." He stared down into his glass, swishing the alcohol with the ice. After a moment he could feel eyes on him, and he glanced up to find Grillby staring at him, his arms crossed over his chest. "...What?"

" _You got yelled at. By chance, what was the reason for being yelled at?_ " Frowning, Sans threw back his glass, emptying it again before setting it on the counter.

"They were askin' me about what happened."

" _...And?"_

"...And I didn't wanna tell 'em." A soft sizzling noise, like the sound of air hissing from a fire, escaped Grillby, and Sans stiffened slightly, eyesockets narrowing. "What?" The flame was looking at him, shaking his head slightly, and then the glass was suddenly slipped from Sans' hand, its contents dumped into the sink. "Hey, what the hell, Grillby?" The other didn't answer, so, frustrated, Sans grabbed the ketchup bottle and took a heavy swig from it. "So what, I'm gonna get a lecture now? I didn't come here to get nagged even more."

" _I am not going to lecture. I am going to_ _ **help**_ _you._ " The dim lights in Sans' sockets rolled as he rolled his eyes, and Grillby pressed on. " _You may not like it, but as your friend, it's only right for me to tell you when you are being an ass._ " Then he leaned over slightly, so that his face was only six inches away from Sans'. " _...You are being an ass._ "

"How am I bein' an ass?! I wasn't the one who decided to start yellin' at someone who nearly got dusted!" He threw his hands up, the ketchup bottle knocking over on the counter with a noisy _'clink_ '. A small amount of the red condiment escaped onto the smooth wood, and Grillby wasted no time in righting the bottle and grabbing a rag to wipe up the spill.

" _And did she know that?_ " the flame asked smoothly, looking across the counter at Sans expectantly. When all he got was silence, he sighed _. "It was very long ago, but I was once in a relationship._ " He picked up the glass he'd abandoned and continued wiping it dry, setting it in the rack behind him and picking up another. " _It was many many years ago. I was a soldier in the war and she was a healer, a rare magical talent for flame elementals. We were quite the pair. She had to patch me up on many occasions..._ " A chuckle escaped the elemental monster, a low, smokey tone of laughter that was light, while also heavy with nostalgia. " _I picked up many bad habits from being in war, and our relationship was strained on many occasions. Our biggest fight was over something small, really, but it was fueled by my unwillingness to talk to her... It is something that I wish I could take back now._ " Sans frowned, his eyelights flickering between his friend's face and the ketchup bottle, watching as the flames dimmed slightly.

"It's for her own good that she doesn't know, Grillbz... Her and Paps. I'm doin' em a favor-"

" _No. You are trying to do everything and failing._ " Sans flinched, eyesockets widening as he felt anger well up in his soul, but before he could say anything against it, the other continued speaking. " _You think that by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders you can protect everyone and make them happy... But you keeping everything to yourself like this is only making them worry. You are not as good at hiding things as you seem to think._ " He reached a hand out and rested it over one of Sans', the sheer warmth enveloping the bones there, and Sans wanted to be mad at how comforting it was. " _We've known you longer, and we know how to handle you...but your human has only been around for a few months. She can't possibly know everything she needs to, especially with how unwilling you are to share._ "

"...I told her ta drop it, but she just kept pushin' on," he argued weakly, hunching his shoulders so the fur of his hood hid the lower half of his face.

" _And if you were in her position? If you were home waiting and she showed up late, badly injured?_ "

"They were just cracks-"

" _If she came home hurt and unwilling to tell you anything, how she felt, what had happened... You're telling me that you would just drop it?_ " The sound of bone grinding as Sans grit his teeth, raising his hands to grip at his skull.

"But that's... It's different, because it's- ...ugh, _fuck_." He groaned, leaning forward to rest his skull against the cool counter top. "I hate when you're right." The flame chuckled and resumed cleaning glasses, looking over the skeleton from the corner of his eye. "I fuckin'... Stars, Grillbz. I yelled at her. Told her she had no place in it, to butt out." His fingertips scratched against his skull and he looked up, sockets drooping sadly. "I"m such an ass."

" _Perhaps, but you always find a way to make up for it._ "

"What if- ...fuck, what if she hates me now?" His skull rushed with thoughts and his magic flared nervously within his bones just at the thought. "I'm...I gotta go." Sans hurriedly hopped down from his bar stool and turned to give Grillby a small grateful smile. "Thanks, Grillbz. I owe ya one."

" _I'll put it on your tab._ " A genuine huff of laughter pulled from the skeleton as he nodded, giving a small salute before he opened a doorway beneath his feet, falling into darkness.

* * *

Lena couldn't help but wonder exactly what it was about the ex-Queen that made her feel so small, like a child. True, the monster's stature alone was enough, considering she was several heads taller, and her frame was much wider. However, something in the way she spoke, the aura she exuded, made her feel like she was safe, comforted, protected. The only word the human could find for it was 'motherly,' and even that didn't fully cover the effect she had on people.

She'd taken a few moments to herself after Papyrus left her room, getting up and splashing her face with cold water to try and lessen the obvious physical evidence that she'd been crying. Her eyes always got so puffy and red...she hated it. After she deemed herself to look 'presentable' enough, she'd made the short walk to Toriel's apartment. She'd barely knocked on the door when it swung open, and she was immediately encompassed in large, warm arms. Something about that hug brought her little walls down, and she'd sniffled meekly into the front of Toriel's deep violet robes. "There, there, my dear friend," she'd murmured gently, comfortingly, "Everything will be alright." Somehow, just with those words alone, Lena felt inclined to believe her.

They sat and talked for a long while, and, although not much was exchanged in the way of hard factual information about past events, Lena learned of the woman's experiences with learning to deal with Sans. "He can be a real bonehead at times! But he does mean the best."

Lena slowly climbed the stairs back to her apartment with deliberation, stomach full of butterscotch-cinnamon pie and herbal tea. She'd come to terms with what had happened, for the most part. Sure, a part of her was still upset with being left in the dark, with a couple of things Sans said to her, but she also realized that she'd reacted poorly...and she worried if he'd even give her the opportunity to apologize. _'Just because we're dating doesn't mean he has to tell me everything...'_ Her mind went back to that night at Alphys and Undyne's, when they sat out on the porch in the chilly winter night and looked up at the stars. ' _I told him that he didn't have to talk if he didn't want to, and then I went and pushed him...'_ A sigh escaped her and she paused on the second topmost step, fingers curling a bit more tightly around the railing. _'Even if he's still angry, I'm going to apologize.'_ Feeling determined, she climbed the last couple steps and opened the front door as quietly as possible, expecting everyone (if Sans didn't come back, then just Papyrus) to be in bed asleep. She'd ended up staying and talking with Toriel for a few hours without even noticing the passage of time. Just another thing she loved about the large, motherly goat monster.

She wasn't expecting for the kitchen light to be on, the sound of the electric tea kettle hissing away as the water inside came to a boil. The door closed behind her with a soft click, and a faint clattering noise came from the kitchen, followed by a muttered curse as the sounds of ceramic being set on the counter rang out, far too loudly in the quiet ambient air of the apartment. The human slipped off her shoes by the door and turned to secure the deadbolt just as whoever it was exited the kitchen.

"Oh, uh, hey..." It hadn't been common knowledge that a skeleton's voice could crack, but his did, the normally smooth baritone breaking partway through the last word, heightening in pitch just enough to be noticeable. Sans cleared a throat he didn't have and gave another 'hey', his smile absent, instead replaced by an uncomfortable expression of guilt. The lights in his eyesockets were incredibly dim, only visible because of how dark the room itself was, and Lena raised a hand to her chest to try and quell the feeling of tension there.

"Hey..." The fact that she spoke to him at all seemed to make him relax just a little, and he sent her an uneasy smile. "I, um... I'm glad you came back," she mumbled, hoping that the things she was feeling weren't being broadcasted across her face, that she didn't look as nervous as she felt. She must have, though, because his eyesockets widened slightly, and he took a small, shuffling step forward.

"'Course I did. Not like there's anywhere else to be." Her lips twitched downward slightly and he quickly rephrased his own statement. "Nowhere else I wanna be, anyway..." They stood there, awkwardly, and after a few minutes he gestured to the couch with one of the mugs in his hands. "D'ya mind? This conversation's so tense I can hardly _stand_ it." Her facial expression softened just the tiniest bit, her lips curving up into a tiny smile, and he felt his soul flip at the little victory. She nodded, taking a seat on one end of the couch, and Sans only hesitated for a moment before he chose to sit next to her, only a few inches separating their hips. He held out one of the mugs to her, which she gratefully accepted. She could already smell chocolate and sweetness from the rising steam, and one look revealed a mass of half-melted marshmallows on the 'd made her hot chocolate. She took a tentative sip, the hot liquid nearly too hot for her to drink comfortably, but she suppressed a small flinch, disguising it easily with a smile as the rich flavor melted over her tongue.

"Thank you," she said softly, raising her mug to take another drink. They settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying their own warm drinks and the pause to ponder their thoughts. How exactly does one go about apologizing for something when they're so certain the other person is angry? The last thing they wanted to do was fall into another argument. After a few minutes the silence was broken by Sans tapping his fingertips against his mug, the soft _'clink'_ of bone against ceramic breaking Lena from her thoughts. She rested her mug against her thigh, the warmth spreading through her sweats in an odd sort of comforting gesture. Swallowing past the coat of sweetness across her tongue and the lump in her throat, she spoke, her voice soft, yet sounding incredibly loud in the silence stretched between them. "I wanted...to apologize..." Sans' skull whipped around to look at her, she could see the movement from the corner of her eye, but she continued staring down into her half-empty mug, fingers curling more tightly around the ceramic. "I was really, really worried about you, and... I shouldn't have been so pushy. I still am worried, but..." she trailed off, biting her lip for a moment before continuing, "It was wrong of me to try and force my way in somewhere I don't belong." The familiar sting of salty tears touched at the corners of her eyes, but she stubbornly held them off, brows furrowing. "I... You should talk to someone. Even if it isn't me, and I-I'm sorry I-"

"Why the hell are _you_ apologizing?" Sans interrupted, sounding genuinely confused, and she hunched her shoulders up to her ears. "Hey, no, hang on, I mean...ah, shit. You didn't do _anything_ wrong, babe." When she wouldn't look up at him he sighed, leaning over to set his mug on the floor and scooting closer until their hips were touching, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Here I was all freaked out, thinkin' you were gonna be pissed off at me... You were just doin' what you're supposed to when someone you care about is hurt. What I do when you or Paps or Frisk or any of our friends are hurt." His fingertips dug gently into her shoulder as he gave a small squeeze, pulling her closer until she was pressed against his side. "...'m sorry. For yellin' at ya- _stars_ , I never should've said the things I did. I was just still kinda...in fight or flight, y'know?"

"Still, I shouldn't have gotten so upset..."

He gave a small snort, "Babe, if our roles had been reversed, I'd've lost my shit... Yer allowed to be upset about somethin' like that." He felt her tense the smallest bit at those words, and he couldn't help but remember what he'd seen, how Brit had gone out of her way to mention that she'd not been allowed to express herself, and he felt like the biggest asshole for reacting the way he did. "What happened is...difficult," he struggled, speaking slowly as he tried to choose the right words. "I can't tell ya now...but I will. I just got a few things to figure out before I can do that. I'll talk to someone about it tomorrow, though. And I'll tell ya what I can..." She pulled away from him to lean over and set her mug on the floor, looking back to him with a frown.

"You don't have to force yourself to tell me anything..."

"Babe, I _want_ to. 'sides, isn't tellin' someone you love about somethin' that troubles you kinda what your supposed to do?" he asked with a small chuckle, shrugging his shoulders and glancing up at her from the corner of his sockets. Her expression had fallen into one of surprise, her soul fluttering brightly in a way he hadn't seen before. "...What?" She seemed to snap out of the trance she'd fallen under and her cheekbones flushed a faint cherry shade, casting her eyes to wander across the room.

"N-nothing, nothing. It's just...y-you've never actually... _said_ it before." Confusion filled his skull for a moment as he tried to understand what she meant...then realization came crashing in, and his soul strained painfully against his ribs. Any time she'd ever said she loved him, he responded with "you, too" or something similar. He'd never actually _said_ outloud, in actual words, that he loved her. The words were on his mind frequently, any time they were together, but for whatever reason, he'd never decided to open his mouth and actually vocalize them. _'God, I'm such an ass.'_ She must have noticed his frantic, mortified expression, because she was looking at him in concern, brows drawn together and her lips pulled down into a small frown. "Sans...?" His name on her lips snapped him from his thoughts and he blinked at her, mind trying to grasp at what they were talking about before his stunning realization.

"Right. So, I was on my way home and happened upon a few humans who were cornering a friend of ours, a monster named Burgerpants. It was soundin' pretty tense, so I stepped in, let him escape." Even as he said the words, his mind was trying to take him back into the moments in his memory. The flash of a silver blade, the glint of crimson eyes... He suppressed a shiver and shrugged his shoulders. "They didn't much care for that. I only got hurt 'cause I didn't use my magic. Coulda dunked em into next week with a flick of the wrist."

"Yeah, I know," she mumbled softly, picking at her sweat pants, and Sans winced slightly, remembering so suddenly the night she'd woken him up from his nightmare. "I'm proud of you for not 'dunking' them, though... But why didn't you just teleport away?"

"It was downtown. Lots of people walkin' around..." Another shrug, and all she gave was a quiet 'oh', falling silent again. "But hey, it's...settled now, for the most part. The human who attacked me was found in that alley, pretty badly hurt. He won't be comin' after anyone again for a while." She nodded slightly, eyes narrowing the smallest bit, and he reached out to grab her hand. She squeezed it back, and he could feel faint tremors running through her fingertips.

"Papyrus told me that you only have 1 HP..." He frowned, running his thumb across the back of her hand, and there were tears brimming in her verdant eyes, and he hated seeing her look like this. This wasn't the side of his human he wanted to see, especially not with him being the cause. Guilt clawed its way through him as he realized again just how little of himself he's actually shared with her, and he hated it. "Y-you could've-" She choked on the word she'd been meaning to say, swallowing thickly past the lump in her throat, trying to stop the tears before they could fall. He wanted them to stop, she wanted them to stop, so he did the first thing he could think of. He shot an arm out and threw it around her waist, pulling her until she was on his lap, leaning up to press his teeth to her lips in what he hoped was a distracting kiss. She stiffened in surprise, then breathed out a quiet sob and pressed into him, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"Nah, 'm not dyin' that easily, babe," he mumbled reassuringly, pulling away just enough to get a good look at her face. A few tears had managed to escape down her cheeks, the rest clinging to her long, dark eyelashes, like morning dew on a spider's web, and something about them made her eyes look like they were shining in the darkness. He raised a hand to cup her cheek, thumb brushing away the tears there with gentle, sweeping motions. His soul fluttered when she nuzzled into his hand, pressing a kiss to his bony palm. His other hand raised until he was holding her face like it was something precious, valuable, fragile, the lights in his eyes brightening as he looked upon her. "... _Stars_ , I love you." He heard her little intake of breath, felt the freckled skin beneath his thumbs warm as it flushed a gorgeous shade of red, and he chuckled. "I know I don't say it enough, and 'm sorry for that..." She tried to avert her eyes, to turn away, but he held her fast, looking into the eyes that were the very windows to her soul, the green pools reflecting his image. They were tempting him, begging to let them draw him into their very depths, and he wanted them to. Stars, he wanted to just fall into her and live within the light and warmth of her very soul. He was pulled from his musings when she leaned back in to press their mouths together, her lips molding against the hard surface of his teeth and he imagined, not for the first time, that it couldn't possibly be pleasant, yet she poured her all into it regardless. He slid his left hand from her cheek down to curl around the back of her neck, pulling her closer while also allowing his thumb to rest against her pulse. The strong yet gentle beat was soothing, enticing, interesting. He found himself notice how it slowed and quickened, and he wondered just what it would take to make it change its steady rhythm.

Summoning his magic, he felt it pool in the base of his jaw before it manifested, and he wasted no time with parting his teeth to allow his tongue to brush against her lips. Her pulse quickened and she drew in a shallow breath, lips parting as she granted him entry. He'd always imagined that kissing without lips would be...weird. It had never come up that it would even be possible, in his mind, until she came along. He was thankful that he'd experimented with his magic before they'd gotten together, otherwise he wouldn't be able to do what he was doing now. He wouldn't be able to feel how her tongue curled around his, or how she shivered when he traced along the outside of her lips with the tip of his tongue. He was glad that Papyrus had gone to Undyne's (even though having your baby bro encourage you to partake in 'canoodling' was probably THE most embarrassing thing), because the thought of the taller skeleton hearing the way her breathing quickened made him feel...uncomfortable. Not just his brother, but anyone. He didn't want _anyone else_ to hear _his human_ the way he did, to feel her the way he did. It only took a few moments of kissing before he started to grow restless, his hands itching to move The hand still cupping her cheek slid down along her shoulder and back, and he felt her tremble on his lap as it rested on her hip. When they finally broke apart her lips were slightly swollen, a faint trail of saliva along her chin. Her chest was rising and falling swiftly with panting breaths, her cheekbones flushed a deep shade of crimson. The verdant eyes he'd felt like falling into before were half-lidded now, their normal crystal green hue hazy with something he recognized but had no name for himself.

 **(*SINNAMON ROLL*)**

"Could you...let me show you? Would that be alright?" he asked, squeezing her hip gently and relishing in the way she pressed closer to him, seeing out more contact. She didn't understand, clearly from the confusion that passed over her face, and his cheekbones glowed with a faint azure hue. "I wanna show you how much I love you..." Maybe it was his words, or maybe it was the way his voice dropped into a lower tone as he said them, but something made her grip at the back of his hoodie, her eyes shining. She gave a small, hesitant nod, and Sans felt a wide smile break out across his face. Leaning in for a chaste kiss, he hummed. "Good... Hold on tight." He lowered his hands to grip at the backs of her thighs as he got to his feet and she yelped, her voice breaking into a series of breathless giggles as he carried her across the apartment. He used his magic to open her bedroom door, kicked it shut behind him, and crossed the room to lay her carefully on the bed. Her laughter died out slowly, her breathing evening out, and Sans took the opportunity to look at her.

Her hair wasn't pulled back, as it usually was; she'd left it hanging loose, so it was spread out around her head like a halo against the forest-green of her comforter. The soft blue light from his left eyesocket illuminated the right half of her face, giving her eyes an almost iridescent teal glow. The moonlight coming in from her haphazardly closed curtains lit up her left side, outlining the soft edge of her jaw, the bridge of her nose, her brow, in a soft white light. She was nervous, he could tell that much from her expression, from the fluttering of her soul's aura, but it wasn't in an unpleasant way at all. It was less anxiety and more anticipation. He suddenly had the urge to speak, to talk on and on and on about her. He wasn't a skeleton of many words. On most days, he was too lazy, and he'd get by with saying as little as he really needed to...but she deserved it. Even more so, she made him _want_ to say something, made him want to extinguish even the smallest amount of doubt in her mind.

It was with that want that he climbed up onto her bed along with her, a knee placed on either side of her wide hips so he was hovering over her. He leaned down and pressed his teeth to her lips in a kiss, nipping at her bottom lip, and oh, how his soul _sang_ when he heard the soft, breathy moan that slipped past her lips in response. It was hardly even a sound at all, really, but he picked up on it acutely, as if it were the sound he was designed to hear. He wanted to hear more of it.

"Never thought much about humans, really," he mumbled against her skin as he moved across her cheek, nipping at her jaw and neck. He paused at her pulse and pressed his tongue against it, tasting her heartbeat, feeling the energy pulsing just beneath the skin against his magic. "You all have different ideas of what's attractive, what's good or bad..." He nuzzled his nasal aperture against her neck, pressing into the junction of where her neck met her shoulder and breathing in deeply. She shuddered beneath him as he sighed, a small, rumbling noise rising from his chest. "Ta monsters, we all look so different...'s the souls that matter." He moved one of his hands to rest on her sternum, just above her breasts, and she felt her breath catch at the touch. "Babe...lemme tell ya..." He made a grasping motion and pulled upward, and she felt a slight tug within her chest, and suddenly the room was bathed in a rich green light. His own soul beat wildly against the inside of his ribcage as it pleaded to be let out, to dance with hers in the small space between them, but he resisted. "...Your soul's one that any monster'd be proud of havin'." ' _One anyone would be proud of bonding with...'_ he thought to himself, allowing the thought to linger for a moment before he pushed it away. He raised the hand he'd summoned her soul with to hover over it, fingertips just shy of touching its surface. It wasn't something solid, not something fully physical, but it was tangible. He could feel it occupying the space between them and, even though it wasn't solid, when he touched it, he felt something beneath his bony fingertips.

It was only a small touch, momentary, but in it he felt her feelings pouring into him through that small connection. Her fear and anxiety that she'd felt, the pain he'd caused her, all of those things came to the forefront, and he couldn't help the stab of guilt he felt in his nonexistent gut in response. Beneath all of that, though, was love, pure and unfiltered and simple, and it was for _him_. So much that his soul felt like it was going to overflow, even though it only lasted a second. He drew in a deep breath and allowed his sockets to fall closed. "Yer soul is the most gorgeous thing 've ever seen, babe. I...heh. I still have a hard time believin' that yer real."

"I am real," she mumbled quietly, raising a hand to reach through her soul, which she couldn't touch, and interlacing their fingers. Her soul floated around their joined hands, bumping eagerly against his ribcage. "...and I'm yours. If you want me to be..." The gentle nudging of her soul made his own pull greatly and he shuddered, bones rattling together slightly as he leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.

" _Stars_ , babe, you have no idea...no idea just how badly I want you to be..." A primal urge, hardwired into his very being, was telling him to summon his own soul, to mark her as his and to allow her to mark him as hers. A desire far from sexual permeated his entire being, and, in the heat of the moment, he wanted to do it. He wanted to do whatever it took, to share everything with her, to give as much as she could take, to take as much as she could give, to share everything he was: mind, body, and soul. ...He didn't, though. Instead, he breathed her scent in deeply, feeling her squirm underneath him, and nipped at her pulse. "...Not now, though. _Stars_ , I want to, so badly, but not now." He pulled away enough to see her face, seeing the heated expression on her face, so foreign, but so fitting. "I said I was gonna show ya how much I love ya...and normally, I hate makin' promises. But I promise, after tonight, you shouldn't have a doubt in your soul how I feel about ya." She drew in a quick breath and he could see her eyes tearing up again, but the smile she sent up to him, so warm and full of certainty and love, told him that he'd done right.

He slowly eases her soul back into her body, watching as it phases through her chest, disappearing with a final soft green glow. He leaves his hand resting against her sternum for a moment, feeling her heartbeat thrumming against his palm through her ribs, her muscle, her skin...again, he found himself wondering how much he'd have to do to make it quicken. Giving the hem of her shirt a tug he sent her a crooked smile, pulling the fabric between his fingers. "Mind takin' this off, babe?" She tensed and stayed still for a moment, as he knew she would, and he leaned forward to pepper her face with toothy kisses (how could they possibly be pleasant, he had no idea) until, after a while, she nodded. Shifting and wiggling her torso until she could pull the fabric up and over her head, she let it lay on the bed next to her, her eyes focused on it intensely. Her bottom lip pulled itself between her teeth, a nervous habit he knew by heart, and he sat back so he could just look at her. "Wow..." he breathed, reaching out hesitantly to run his fingertips across her jaw, following the ridge of bone. He traced her neck, down to the hollow of her throat, felt her swallow against his fingertips, and his eyelights flitted up to her face only to see that she was staring at him. His cheekbones flushed a stronger hue of cyan and he shot her a small grin before continuing with his exploration. From the base of her throat he followed her collarbone to her shoulder, which he leaned forward to give a small nip before his hand traveled downward. He brushed along the swell of her breast through the white cotton of her bra and ran his fingers purposefully down her side, counting her ribs in his mind. They were smaller, thinner, more delicate than his own thick, stocky ribs, but he didn't find himself missing the little joys in their differences.

"You're so soft..." he muttered, moving his hand to lay across her stomach, fingers splayed out as far as they could reach as he pressed down lightly. He knew that it was something she was insecure about, about her body size, and always made sure to cover up areas like her stomach, her legs, her arms... Body fat wasn't any big deal, and everybody (well, every human) had it, yet there were those who would belittle her for it. Frowning, he leaned down to press a kiss to her stomach, feeling her flinch slightly in surprise. "You're beautiful, baby. Stunnin'. Gorgeous." Her freckles blurred together, her face was so red, and she tore her eyes away from him, instead closing them as she fought off tears. He didn't think she'd be so emotional about this, but he wasn't about to think of it as a bad thing. He kissed and nipped his way down her stomach until he reached the hem of her sweat pants, which he tugged on gently. "You okay with this?" he asked, wanting so badly for her to be comfortable. She nodded, still not looking at him, and he crawled his way back up her body, grabbing her chin gently and guiding her face to look at him. "Hey. I wanna hear for sure... You okay with this?" She slowly opened her eyes and, when she saw him, looking at her with a concerned smile, she swallowed thickly.

"Y-yes... I'm...just nervous," she admitted, and he felt himself sigh in relief.

"Heh, join the club, baby cakes." The new nickname brought a bit of a smile to her lips before she could stop it and Sans leaned in quickly to kiss it while it was there, pulling back with a chuckle. "What, you like that nickname? I'll be sure to use it more often while _icing_ your praises." Her smile widened and she smacked at his shoulder weakly, nothing more than a mere pat. "Nothing could ever hold a _candle_ to you, babe." She groaned and rolled her eyes, though she was still smiling.

"If you pun me through this, Sans, I swear..." she warned, and he raised his browbones in defiance, his grin spreading to shit-eating levels.

"Who, _me_? I'd _never_..." He moved back down the bed, tugging her sweat pants down her thighs bit by bit. She immediately quieted herself, looking self-conscious. "You're just _too sweet_ to resist, baby cakes." Once the article of clothing was fully removed he allowed it to fall off the edge of the bed, to the floor where it was immediately forgotten. "It's a good thing, too, 'cause, wouldn't ya know it... I've got a _sweet-tooth_." He punctuated this proclamation with a soft bite to her hip, and the gasp she gave made his magic thrum strongly within his bones. He felt the skin underneath his hands tense, goosebumps breaking out all over it as she shivered. "You cold?" She shook her head slowly, and he felt the smallest little nip of pride in the back of his skull. "Good."

He allowed his hands to roam, dragging his palms up her thighs to squeeze at her soft stomach. She let out a small whine of protest, but she made no move to stop him, so he continued. Kneading at the flesh of her tummy was...hypnotizing. He imagined that it must be similar to the feeling people who use stress-balls get. Everything about her was just so comfortable, so soft, so warm... Even if she hated the very things that made her so, he loved every single one. Sliding his hands down to grip at her hips, he leaned up to press his nasal ridge against the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. When he finally exhaled, he mumbled words to her, his voice a soft growl in the silence of the room. "You're so perfect, _stars_ , I love you." She trembled and her breathing quickened, her hands reaching up to grip at his ribs through his shirt, pulling him closer. She was ready.

"Tell me what to do, baby," he growled, nipping at her shoulder before pulling back to look at her. Her face was flushed, eyes half-lidded, lips parted as she drew in little uneven breaths. It did funny things to his soul, especially when her eyes met his. "I've done some research, but I've never...heh, never done this before." A look of fondness crossed over her features, one that was so warm it made him want to lean in and kiss her again, but he was waiting for an answer. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth again, gnawing on it as she hesitated, then, after a few seconds, grabbed his wrist and moved his hand to her breast. He stared at where he hand was now located, slightly startled by the boldness of the move, then a sly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Guess I got my answer. After all...you know _breast_." The look she leveled him with in that moment made him snort loudly, shoulders shaking with poorly concealed snickering. "Sorry! I'm so sorry-"

"No you're not..." she mumbled, bottom lip sticking out in a pout, and oh, he couldn't resist. He leaned in close and nipped at her extended lower lip, his hand moving to cup her breast in his palm while giving it a firm squeeze.

"Yer right, I'm not." Moving so that his knees were on either side of her stomach, he hovered just over her, sitting up so both of his hands were free to explore the newly-granted territory. Just like her stomach and hips, this area was incredibly soft, as well, if not even more so. His hands weren't big enough to fully grasp, but he enjoyed grabbing whatever he could. "I love how soft you are..." It was so vastly different. He was all hard bone and edges, where she was soft flesh and curves. She gave a little sigh of pleasure as he brushed across the front of her bra and he paused, repeating the action to see if he could get the same result. She bit her lip and her cheeks reddened further.

"You can take it off..."

His hands had never moved so fast in his entire life. He pulled the straps down her shoulders, then felt around the front of the band...no luck. Frowning slightly, he thought back, remembering what he'd seen in those videos, and he slid his hands beneath her back. She arched slightly to try and give him more room, which he thanked her for by nipping at the top of her breast exposed from her bra. He pulled and tugged at the band, feeling around for clasps...but it wouldn't come off. Giving a small grunt of frustration he sat up, practically shoving his entire forearms underneath her to try and figure it out. He didn't realize she was laughing at him until he felt her chest shaking beneath his skull, which had moved to press against her sternum. She giggled in absolute delight, as if it were the funniest thing she'd ever seen, and Sans felt his skull flush blue in both embarrassment and shame. "Heh, it's uh...hard to take these things off when ya can't see the back," was his lame excuse, which only made her giggle harder, a stray snort of laughter escaping her.

"Push, don't pull." She was still chuckling as he took her advice and, miraculously, the clasps came open. He was quick to pull the offending article off of her and toss it to the floor of her bedroom to rest in some unknown corner. When he turned his eyes back to her (and away from glaring at the damned bra that had confounded him) he was surprised...not in a bad way. She was different from the women in the videos and, though he'd known they were different, he wasn't sure how different. Instead of perfectly round mounds that rested perfectly in line with her sternum, Lena was softer...which he found himself enjoying, quite a bit, as he returned his hands to them. He kneaded and squeezed and felt every inch he could get his hands on, and an amused snort from beneath him made him glance at her face. She rolled her eyes. "Men..." she muttered good-naturedly, and he snorted.

"I get the appeal now. Damn, they're soft."

"Heh, well, not all women are as..." she gestured towards herself, "...squishy...as I am." He'd expected her to say something negative, but he moved past it easily, leaning down to nip at the tender underside of her breast, pulling a small moan from her.

"Yer perfect," was all he said, and a small part of her wanted to argue, but she found her words vanished as something cool slid across her nipple. Her breathing hitched and her eyes fluttered closed as Sans ran his tongue across the hardened nub, feeling her shiver beneath his hands. "I love how soft ya are," he growled against her skin, giving a few gentle nips here or there as he slowly moved himself downward. As addicting as playing with her breasts was, he could feel her desperation- hell, he could _smell_ it. The scent of her desire, although faint, was enticing, and, more than anything, he found himself wanting to fulfill it. "How warm ya feel. Yer always so fuckin' hot..." He bit at the inside of her thigh, enough that his teeth left shallow indentations, but not hard enough to mark. She seemed to enjoy it regardless, her legs spreading apart as he settled himself between them. He opened his mouth to ask her again what she wanted...but he cut himself off. Surely it would feel more rewarding if he brought her pleasure all on his own, right? He dipped his index finger underneath the hem of her cotton panties, stretching the elastic slightly before letting it snap back into place. She jumped slightly, her breathing picking up again, watching him through half-lidded eyes. He met those eyes, and she gave a quick nod of consent before he slid her underwear off her legs, tossing them to join the rest on the floor. Yet more differences, but he didn't care enough to even call attention to them. He brushed his fingertips through auburn curls, giving her thigh a gentle pinch as he nudged her legs further apart. "Relax, baby," he rumbled softly, rubbing small circles on the juncture of where her thigh met her pelvis, feeling her shiver beneath his touch.

Slowly, _so_ slowly, he moved to trail his index finger along her now exposed sex, and the first thing that came to mind was how hot she was. If he'd thought she was warm before, that was nothing compared to what he felt here, and he had a small bit of pride run through him when he pulled his hand back (to which she whined) and saw his index finger was already slick. "Calm down, babe, I'm not leavin' you hangin'," he chuckled, bringing his finger up to his mouth and allowing his tongue to wash over its surface. His magic surged in his bones and he shuddered, the soft rattling noise mingling well as he groaned at the unique taste. "Shit, babe...you really _are_ sweet." She squirmed and tried to press her thighs together to get some sort of relief, but he held her fast, pushing her legs so that her knees bent slightly. He shifted down the bed a bit until he was practically at eye-level with her feminine mound, and he watched as realization dawned on her. She sputtered slightly, trying to sit up, but he gave another gentle nip to her thigh, causing her to still. "This okay?" he asked, glancing up at her yet again, and she nodded feverishly. He wanted to tease, to make her vocalize it...but the sudden desire to fulfill her was too great. With great care he leaned forward, lying on his stomach with his skull between her thighs, and brought his hands up to gently separate her lower lips. "You're so fuckin' _gorgeous_ right now, babe." She drew in a sharp breath that ended up releasing itself as a low moan as he ran his tongue up her slit, from base to top. A rumbling growl escaped his chest as he got lost in the rich and unique taste, immediately going in for more. All the while he continued talking, a trick made easy since he was made up of magic itself, so his words were unhindered, even as his tongue continued to work her. He praised and complimented her, pausing to roll her clit beneath the blunted tip of his tongue, and she keened loudly, hips trying to press closer to his face. He chuckled, a deep, reverberating sound, and slowly slid one hand up from where it gripped at her thigh.

Hesitantly, he pushed his index finger into her, feeling her stiffen only for a moment before she spread her legs wider, a silent plea for more all while opening herself up to him. He did this to her, to _his human_ , and he felt more pride than he had in a long while. He eventually added another finger, his middle joining his index, and he kept a steady rhythm, trusting in time with his licks. She tried her hardest to keep herself quiet but, after a few minutes, she lowered her hands to grip at his skull with trembling hands, moaning and panting and calling his name. "You gettin' close, baby cakes?" She gave a breathless nod, her hips rising off the bed to try and meet him, and he raised his free hand to hold them down. "Good." He increased his efforts, circling his tongue around her clit, delving it inside to join his fingers, nuzzling against where her thigh met her pelvis, everything, nothing was enough for him. He turned his wrist and curled his fingers insider her towards himself in a 'come hither' motion and she cried out, breathlessly begging for him to do it again. He did so gladly, feeling her thighs quivering on either side of his skull, making his magic burn within his bones, his soul hammering wildly against his ribcage. Soon her voice heightened and she grew louder, and he idly thanked the stars that Papyrus wasn't home, because there was no chance he wouldn't have heard her. Carefully, he used his magic to tug her soul out of her body, making it float into the hand not busy working inside of her, and it was by fate alone that he managed to curl his fingers just right the very moment he touched her soul.

She cried out loudly, an intimate song written just for him, and he could feel her affection and her desire and her love flow into his very soul as she orgasmed, the muscles of her inner walls clamping down on his fingers. He withdrew his fingers hastily and greedily lapped up everything she had to give, helping her ride out the waves of pleasure until they finally subsided. He released her soul and it nuzzled against his chest for a moment before it almost reluctantly returned to her. She was gasping and panting as she came down from her high, and he was quick to crawl back up the bed to meet her, pressing his teeth to her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, her lips, in a series of soft kisses. "Love you." _Kiss._ "Love you so much." _Kiss._ "Stars, baby girl, I love you so much." _Kiss._ Lena sniffled loudly and he felt a brief panic when he realized that she was crying, tears spilling out from her eyes and down her flushed, freckled cheeks. He was about to ask what was wrong, what he did wrong, but then she sent him the warmest, gentlest, most loving smile he'd ever seen, and _stars_ , if it didn't make him fall even more in love. They laid there for a long while in contented silence, him running his bony phalanges through her hair as she basked in her afterglow. "...So did I make it up to ya?" She laughed, a sound so carefree and unbound that it made his soul do little flips in his chest. She leaned up to press a kiss to his cheekbone, her smile widening.

"Yeah... I think you did."

* * *

 **[[ Welp. There you have it, boys and girls. The longest chapter of WaW to date. Just over 10k words. I hope you all enjoyed it! (I sure enjoyed writing it ahuhuhu~) Feel free to follow on tumblr (life-sans-sin), send me messages, make requests, anything! Love you guys! ]]**


	38. Crepusculous Cacophony

**[[ I'm back, you guys! Sorry this took so long. I was having a bit of trouble with some writer's block, anxiety, . blah blah on to the fic! I really enjoyed writing this, so I hope that you all enjoy reading it.**

 **Summary for this chapter: _Things get dark._**

 **Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

Time passes as it always does, neverending and passive. The school gains new human students almost every week, although there are also several that have been removed. Lena has to comfort an upset Monster Kid when one of their particular classmates, a shy little girl with adorably bouncy pigtails, doesn't show up for class. She hates having to tell him that his friend won't be returning, and the inevitable question of 'why' makes her heart ache painfully within her chest. An uncertain answer about her parents wanting her to attend a school closer to their parents' work seemed like it made him feel a bit better at first, but the next day he had come in, downtrodden, saying that she no longer lived in the apartment she used to. It's hard seeing any of her students so upset, and though she tries her best to keep a smile and a positive attitude, by the time she arrives home, she's feeling a little blue herself.

"Little Susie got pulled from the school yesterday, and, according to MK, they've already moved..." she sighed, glancing at Sans across the couch as he absentmindedly toyed with her toes through the plush fabric of her socks. He gave a thoughtful hum, his smile lessening the slightest bit, but otherwise said nothing. She knew how he felt about it, what he'd have to say. She also knew that he didn't like voicing those kinds of opinions. It's not fair to say negative things about humans when you're dating one, after all.

That particular aspect of her life has been...well, great. Wonderful. Ever since the night where Sans 'made up' after their fight, their relationship had taken an obvious turn. After she'd recovered from it all, she'd asked him about reciprocating, and he'd sounded slightly guilty and shameful when he told her that she didn't have to worry about it. "I don't have the same needs, babe," he'd muttered, pressing a series of toothy kisses to her cheeks. It had felt wrong, at first, accepting those sorts of affections when she wasn't giving anything in return. She hadn't been in a large amount of relationships, but all of the ones she had been in were different. They'd been with humans; humans like herself that _did_ have those needs. For a while, she started trying to shift away from those sorts of things. She'd scoot away when Sans held on for too long, or she'd get up and get a drink when he pressed a rather lengthy kiss against the back of her neck when she laid back against him while they sat together on the couch watching TV. He'd respectfully backed off, as well, until, eventually, he held fast when she tried to move away. There had been misunderstanding, and after she'd blurted out that she felt guilty for taking so much and not giving, he'd looked at her as if she'd just said something crazy.

"You give me so much more than you realize, babe... 'sides, gettin' to see ya like that is just as fulfilling for me."

She still tried to keep a hold over herself, but she was far more comfortable with being so physically intimate with Sans. And Sans liked being able to help, being trusted with taking care of his human in such a vulnerable state. The thought that he put her in such a state certainly helped him feel better, too. Even if it ended up with Papyrus shooting them sly smiles at the breakfast table the next morning.

Such a morning as the one Lena currently found herself, her face flushed as she shoved forkfull after forkfull of pancakes into her mouth. Papyrus had asked an innocent question, asking how their night had been, but the way the ridges of his browbones practically danced over his eyesockets left her speechless and Sans snorting with mirth and embarrassment beside her. "It was fine," he answered easily enough once he'd reigned in his chuckles, glancing at his girlfriend, a browbone raised. His grin shifted to positively devious, though she didn't see it, and Papyrus narrowed his eyesockets at him across the table. "Geez, babe, these pancakes are pretty good, huh?" His voice was a lazy drawl as he gestured down at his untouched stack, eyelights darting over to the corners of his sockets to peer at her. "Could even say they're _orgasmic_ -" Lena gasped through a mouthful of pancake, which led to an immediate fit of coughing. Sans practically howled with laughter at the watery glare she sent him, her green eyes standing out beautifully from her flushed face.

"BROTHER, STOP IT NOW!" Snickering noisily, Sans glanced up at his brother with the most shit-eating grin yet.

"Aw, Paps, _come_ _on_ -"

"I DO NOT WISH TO HEAR ANY MORE ABOUT YOU CANOODLING WITH YOUR HUMAN THAN I ALREADY HAVE TO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" The taller skeleton stood upright from the table and picked up his plate, turning on his heel quickly to try and hide his grin as he made for the kitchen. Sans guffawed loudly and smacked a bony hand on the table, leaning over to rest on it as his shoulders shook with laughter. He felt a small slap to his scapula and didn't even have to look over to see Lena glaring at him, hissing his name in that 'angry' way she got when she was embarrassed.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry-"

"No you're not!" she hissed, crossing her arms over her chest and sinking down further into her chair. After a while he finally managed to regain control over his laughter and, leaning over, he threw an arm around her shoulder to pull her in for a kiss.

"Nah, 'm not. You're cute when you blush," he cooed, watching with absolute delight as she flushed a shade darker and pushed him away playfully. When he saw her check the time he raised a brow. "Wassup, baby cakes?" Stars, he loved how she'd flush whenever he called her that. It was one of his favorite nicknames for her...and one that frequented the bedroom. Maybe that's why she liked it so much. "Got somewhere to be today?"

"Mhm, I have to run into Tristin today to pick up some documents. Something about a training seminar I'll need to have over the course of the summer... Toriel said that I can start learning Monster History along with the kids." She looked positively excited at this, her lips curling into a bright smile and her eyes practically aglow with that little special spark she got when she was talking about something she loved. Teaching. Learning. Those were the things she was born for. After a pause as she finished her last bite of pancakes, she swallowed down the last of her glass of milk and scooted her chair back. "I'm gonna spend a little time hanging out with Brit today, too. It's been a while, and she's been getting bitchy about her 'girlfriend' abandoning her..." She tries to sound annoyed by this, but it's undone by the fond smile on her face. Sans chuckles and glances down at his uneaten plate, poking at the dry pancakes with his fork before reaching for the bottle of syrup, upending it over the entire plate.

"Trouble in paradise?" She snorts and gives him an amused look.

"Something like that. She's been really stressing out lately, and it's overdue for us to hang out..." She trails off slightly, glancing back at him. "You don't mind, do you? I know we didn't exactly have any plans for today, but still."

"Nah, go hang with Brit. Just save some kisses for me when you get back." He was teasing, and she knew that, but that doesn't stop the pleased swell of affection in his soul when she leans over to press a kiss to his teeth. He nuzzles against her lips slightly, chuckling softly.

"I think I can arrange for that. Brit's not much of a kisser, anyway." He felt stupid for feeling relieved at hearing that. Lena followed the younger skeleton brother into the kitchen, finding him standing at the sink, his gloves swapped instead for a pair of pink floral dish gloves. He was wrist-deep in a sink full of bubbles, obviously already quick at work washing the dishes. Frowning slightly, the human sidled up to the counter next to him, casually trying to step sideways until he was left no other option but to move. ...Of course, her little five-foot something frame was no match for his towering seven feet of solid bone, and the skeleton returned her efforts with a gentle hip-check. She huffed and tried to reach into the sink past him, but Papyrus merely flicked a bit of soapy water at her with a smile, giving a soft "Nyeh" of triumph when she relented, crossing her arms and walking out of the kitchen. It had been difficult for her to get used to sharing the chores. It was safe to say that she was still trying to get used to it.

"GO AND PREPARE YOURSELF FOR YOUR FRIEND-DATE WITH OUR VULGAR HUMAN FRIEND!" She snorted as a surprised laugh left her and she hurried to cover it.

"Alright, alright, you're right. She's not exactly patient..." As if on cue, the human felt her phone vibrate incessantly in her pocket. She pulled it out and immediately started giggling as she read over the messages.

| **Brit** : I don't think I can last much longer, babe, I need you so bad /3 |  
| **Brit** : Okay but realtalk my friendship-balls are SO blue rn, okay? I need some of your healing love |  
| **Brit** : Also Jordan has the kids and we are going to get up to so much shit today. |

| **Brit** : Soooo many shenanigans and you best believe I'mma cuddle the shit out of you. |

| **Lena** : That sounds like a crappy idea if you ask me. |

| **Brit** : Your bonefriend has been rubbing off on you too much. |

| **Brit** : Orrrr maybe... |

| **Lena** : do not |

| **Brit** : He's been rubbing you off too much. That's prolly more likely. ;) *winkwonk* |

Groaning, the human quickly went into her room to dress in a simple pair of dark jeans and a short-sleeved t-shirt (it was one she'd stolen from Brit, saying "It's too AM for Me" on the front). She slipped on her shoes at the door and called out a farewell as she closed the door behind her, taking the steps down two at a time as she hurried to her car. She had a friend-date to get to, and errands to run, and it was with a lightness in her heart and a bounce in her step that heads out into the unseasonably warm February morning.

* * *

"Ahuhuhu~" Delicate fingertips brushed against the thin strands of magic, laid out before her like threads in a loom. Her index finger touched one as it reverberated faintly, her eyes falling closed as images came before her mind's eye. A modest forest-colored SUV, pulling out of an apartment complex parking lot. A human was behind the wheel, not one she had met before, but one that she recognized easily enough. _'That's the dear human Papyrus was going on about... Hmmmm... She looks even more exquisite in person!'_ A pleased smile curled up the corners of her lips, the faintest gleam of her fangs showing from between her dark-painted lips. _'Oh? What's this?'_ Another human, she assumed a male, from his broad shoulders and shaven hair. He was dressed in a heavy black leather biker's jacket with scuffs and tears on the elbows, like they'd come into heavy contact with abrasive surfaces. He was peeking out from the car he was ducked behind, a lit cigarette hanging loosely between his chapped lips. The smoke curled delicately in the cool morning air, and Muffet didn't have to glance too hard to see that he was following Papyrus' friend. The way he scowled and glared after her vehicle told her that well enough.

Eyes still closed, Muffet allowed her fingertips to brush against another thread, the scene in her mind blinking from one to another, as if she'd just changed the channel on the television using the remote. Perhaps that was a good enough analogy, she mused, as the inside of the human's SUV came into view. Peeking just over the edge of the human's purse, her tiny little set of 'eyes' clung tightly, their own excitement from going somewhere strange and new carrying over to Muffet, herself. She'd need to be sure and scold Sprinkle more appropriately when they returned. The little spider monster was always sneaking off to go home with Papyrus after his shifts. She'd need to remind them that not all people were as kind to spiders as they were.

"Yeah, I'm on my way," the human said, a phone held carefully to her ear as her eyes stayed focused on the road. "...Yes, yes, I'll tell you all about it as soon as I get there." She rolled her eyes, obviously being sarcastic with her words, but Muffet could still hear the faintest of laughs from the other end of the receiver. Soon, the human was laughing, too, and were talking about something frivolous and of little worth to her. Another thread, another picture coming into view. The inside of the car faded out slowly, back to the human man.

"She left her apartment." He, too, had a phone held to his ear, his shoulders hunched protectively around himself as he walked brusquely down the sidewalk. A group of young monsters approached, she guessed teenaged from the way they gossiped and blathered on and on about Mettaton. The human scowled and ducked out of sight into an alleyway, his free hand coming up to cup around his mouth as he lowered his voice. "She was _alone._ None of them _freaks_ with her. ...No, but she's headed into Tristin. To visit her friend." Her little arachnid sight skittered down the alley closer to the human, and she watched as he stopped to crouch on the filthy ground. Moving closer, she could see what looked like the glint of a silver blade shoved beneath a dumpster up against the brick wall of a building. "Yeah, I'll keep an eye on her." They reached underneath the large industrial garbage container and pulled out a worn dagger. The edges were blunted with dried blood and caked layers of dust, a disgusting mixture that made even Muffet's stomach churn slightly. The little arachnid crept backward a bit, their vision trembling with fear, and the spideress longed to reach out, caress their short fur and soothe them.

A small flash of red caught her attention, though, and pulled her from her thoughts. As soon as she refocused, however, it was gone, leaving only the human, knelt in the alleyway holding a knife close to their chest. Their mouth spread into a wide grin, looking far too sharp for it to be natural. They got to their feet, dirt scuffed on the knees of their torn jeans. The knife was slid into their belt loop and they chuckled, a deep, unsettling sound. "Don't worry, he won't give us any trouble once we have what we're after." They hung up the phone and slid it easily back into the human's jeans pocket. Their eyes leveled with the spider and their expression turned almost gleeful, lips curling cruelly as they walked forward, lifted their foot, and brought it down heavily-

Her vision dipped instantly into inky blackness. The thread beneath her fingers snapped, the recoil of it stinging her very soul, though it was quickly washed over by her anger. _'Humans who stomp on spiders are despicable...'_ The corners of her eyes crinkled slightly as she smiled, her own lips curling to mimic the cruel smile she'd just seen upon the human's face. _'I'll simply have to stop him in return.'_ She hesitated only for a moment before she ran her fingertip almost lovingly across the thickest of her threads, feeling the heavy but comfortable buzz of magic flowing through it. Her vision bloomed with warmth and light, the little spider dropping down from the top shelf over a smooth wood bartop. A familiar flame was there, dressed in a button up and vest polishing glasses. He looked up, the white spots of flame that were his eyes flickering up slightly to look at the tiny arachnid. She could hear the adorable chirping sounds her precious darling made, reminding her of her recent loss, but she pushed that aside. There was no time for that now.

Grillby's hands moved steadily, forming words, phrases, sentences as he used sign language to communicate. Her smile widened and she dismissed the threads, the sound of a small bell chiming alerting her to customers. She'd have to deal with all this new information later.

For now, she had customers to serve, and there was money to be earned. She stepped out from the doorway to stand behind the front counter, two sets of hands resting on her hips as the other reached for a notepad and pen. "Welcome, dearies! What can I get you~?"

* * *

"Hey! Hey, Lena! Does this remind you of anythiiiiiing?" The short-haired woman wiggled her eyebrows wildly as she held up a blue-raspberry flavored popsicle, her face screaming suggestion and amusement. Lena huffed a breath as she felt her face burn, tossing her own empty popsicle stick in the trash can.

"I never should have told you about that dream..." Her friend cackled and threw an arm around her shoulder, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek, to which she groaned and pushed at her face. "Briiiiit, please!"

"Ahhh, you're just too much fun to tease. It's been so long since I've gotten to mess with you, I'm gonna be sure to make up for lost time." Lena sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest, shooting her friend a pouting frown. "Hey, c'mon, I don't think it's that bad! I mean, how the fuck else is he supposed to do you?" The shorter woman whined and covered her face with her hands. Brit snickered to herself, withdrawing her arm and finishing up her popsicle. "No, but seriously. Is that something you want from your relationship?" Peeking out from between her fingers, Lena gave a meek little shrug. "Not judging. You know that. I'm just curious."

"I... I mean, I guess? He said that he doesn't have those same, uh...'needs'..." Her cheeks flushed an even darker shade of crimson, much to Brit's delight. "B-but he's seemed more than willing to do...'stuff'...whenever I get in a 'mood.'" Brit hummed quietly to herself, brows furrowed slightly in thought. A wide smirk spread across her lips and she tossed her popsicle stick into the trash.

"Y'know, for someone without much of an 'appetite'-"

"Brit, please-"

"He sure does like to _eat out_!"

"Why am I friends with you again?!" she wailed, but, despite her embarrassment, she couldn't help but smile.

"Because you love me, duh."

"You're right, I do love you...you're lucky I do," Lena mumbled, wrapping her arms around her friend in a hug. The thinner woman immediately latched onto her, returning the hug and nuzzling her face into her friend's breasts (to which Lena heaved a sigh).

"Woah dude, that's hella gay." Brit's voice was muffled, but even still, Lena could hear the affection and fondness in her words. She rolled her eyes and pressed a kiss to the top of her friend's head.

"Yeah, I know, sorry." The two of them laughed and cuddled in closer, sitting in the warmth of the sun and relaxing. The peace was broken, however, by a loud buzzing from Lena's pocket. They both jumped slightly, startled, and pulled away with a sigh. "That's the alarm I set. I have to get going to pick up those documents from the Board of Education's main office..." The arms around her middle tightened briefly and she reached up to pat Brit on the head, brushing her fingers through her short hair. "I know. I'll text you as soon as I get home, okay? We'll plan something for next weekend so we can spend more time together." Seemingly appeased by this, Brit released her hold, allowing Lena to get to her feet.

"Sounds good. Go home and _bone_ your boyfriend." The redhead's cheeks flushed deeply and she sighed, turning and heading back toward her car. "Wait wait wait, just tell me. Is he _ribbed_ for your pleasure?" The loud snorting laughter prompted Lena to walk faster, climbing into her little SUV and shouting a quick "Goodbye, Brit" before closing the door. Despite all the teasing, she really did miss spending more time with her. She wondered if 'platonic soulmates' were a thing and briefly considered asking Sans or Toriel. _'He gets all weird when the word soulmates comes up, though... Maybe I shouldn't.'_ It was with these thoughts that she pulled out of her friend's driveway and out onto the main road, headed toward her destination.

So busy with these frivolous, happy thoughts that she didn't notice the car following closely behind her.

* * *

Darkness.

Dark, darker, yet darker, still.

There was something about lacking a technical existence that made the soul grow weary. Even though it was scattered to the edges of time and space, he could feel the weariness and fatigue in the shattered remains In most instances, he didn't exist at all. He floated between the planes of reality and hypothetical perception, in the space between that also 'didn't exist.'

At times, though, when all the proper variables aligned properly, perfectly in sync with one another, he was able to become tangible, to exist, even if only for a few moments. One of the hundreds of thousands of fragments of his being would become real.

He opened his eyes and looked out, seeing a city he recognized but had never actually seen. There was much that he had been witness to, caught in between realms. He'd seen so many different timelines, so many different theoretical happenings, so many realities. They were all so similar but, to his long trained eyes, so vastly different. Even the tiniest little difference would change the outcome in the most major of ways. It was...interesting.

Existing was such a chore, and it was something he no longer had the pleasure of, save for these few moments...yet he still found himself utterly enamored and fascinated with observing. He always had been a scientist. Checking variables, testing theories, influencing changes. Those were the things he 'lived' for.

Even watching that abomination walking around wearing humans and monsters like suits.

They were intriguing. He knew what their desires were, had seen the outcome several times of what they were capable of, yet he made no move to stop it. After all, there were different sets of variables in play now. This was a set-up that he had not yet gotten to see play out, and he had no intention of interrupting the experiment before it reached its conclusion.

* * *

The paperwork had been simple enough to obtain. Though she'd felt slightly off-put by the fact that the receptionist had stared at her so blatantly, the older woman behind the desk had been polite enough, and, when asked about the documents, had been quick to hand them over. Lena tried to ignore how the woman had retracted her hand when she accidentally brushed against them when she took the papers, wiping it off on her flowery blouse as if she'd gotten dirty. She simply smiled and bid her farewell, quickly heading out of the building so she could walk the short distance back to her car. The street-side parking spaces were all full of nice-looking cars and news vans of people who were attending the large meeting and debate at city hall just down the road, so she'd been forced to park in a little lot back behind a few buildings. _'I need the exercise anyway,'_ she told herself, giving a quick look both ways down the road before crossing.

It wasn't often that she found herself looking over her shoulder. She was usually far too invested in what she was doing to worry about it. Something, however, was pulling at her consciousness, tugging incessantly to get her attention, and she did so simply to appease it.

She wasn't expecting to see a small group of hooded figures following her.

' _They just happen to be going the same way...'_ she reasoned with herself. _'Don't be paranoid.'_ Yet the closer she got to the parking lot, the closer the group got to her, and her steps slowly began to pick up speed. She turned the corner leading down the alleyway that led to the lot and she broke into a run, folder of paperwork clutched tightly to her chest. She just needed to get to her car. She needed to get to her car, then she'd be safe.

Her feet slid to a halt just a few yards away from her vehicle, a heaviness settling in the bottom of her chest. The forest green paint had been scratched off in places, the revealed tracks of silver underneath spelling out something. It was crudely drawn and difficult to read, but after a moment, she gathered what it said.

" _Monster Fucker"_

The sound of heavy footfall from behind her made her turn around, just in time for something wet to splash against her shoulder and neck. It was cold and reeked heavily of...something; something pungent, like chemicals. The fumes made her eyes water and she reached behind her, blindly groping for the door handle. The instant she felt it she jerked hard, falling backwards into her car. The group of people made no move to stop her, simply stood there, glaring at her, save for one. The one standing in the very center had an eerily misplaced smile spread wide across their lips, and she couldn't place what it was, but something about it chilled her to her very core. Her finger slammed down on the button to lock her doors and she sat, staring them down, her chest heaving with uneven breaths as she started to grow lightheaded.

It felt like an eternity later that they finally left, one by one. The smiling one was the last to depart, dropping a glass bottle to the ground before they disappeared around the corner again.

She didn't wait to calm down before she started driving back home, the skin on her neck and arm burning.

* * *

Papyrus had known something was amiss when Muffet had dismissed him from his job after only a couple hours of being there. He'd insisted he stay, but that woman had a strange way of... _influencing_ people to do her bidding. He wondered if influence or intimidate was the proper word to use. She had said very little, simply saying that she didn't need his help. The shop had been full, though, and she and her little spiders were bustling about, all arms and legs busy as she took orders, took money, handed out pastries, and made casual chatter with the customers. "Go home, dearie. You're not needed here." That comment had stung a bit; Papyrus liked the idea of being needed, of being able to do good for someone.

He understood immediately as soon as he'd gotten home what she meant.

He didn't recognize it at first, what with the filth smeared across the doors and trunk and the cracked windows. Foul language was scratched into the paint: 'Monster Fucker', 'Whore', 'Traitorous Tramp'. It wasn't totally unfamiliar to him, sadly enough. There had been a few instances where a car that had been parked innocently enough in town got the same treatment. Monster-haters were usually too cowardly to come so far into the center of Taobh, though, instead preying on those on the outskirts.

It was only when his brother suddenly appeared that he seemed to finally piece together what he was seeing. His long legs carried him across the parking lot in a few short bounds, and Sans was already pulling on the handle to the driver's side door, growling in frustration as it clunked noisily, refusing to open. A flash of blue and the lock shot up, and he wasted no time in opening the door. The smell of chemicals assaulted their senses but Sans dove past it, skull swimming as he reached out to grab Lena by the shoulders. She was awake, her eyes open, but they were staring without focus at the steering wheel. Her head drooped slightly as he shook her, trying to get her attention. "Babe? Babe?!"

"SANS, GET HER TO HER MAJESTY!" Papyrus watched his brother's skull whip up to look at him (had he really not noticed his presence until just then?), expressions of anger and confusion flitting across his face. With a sigh, the younger brother reached in and unclipped the human's seatbelt, and that seemed to be enough to spur Sans into action. He grunted slightly as he lifted her out of her seat, and then they were gone, without a trace.

' _Why would someone do this...?'_ he asked himself, but, naturally, no answer came. He could never understand the cruelty of people, especially to someone so kind. Was it really so terrible that she and his brother were in love? Why did that deem it acceptable for them to harm her?

He didn't notice that his gloved hands were shaking until he heard his bones beginning to rattle faintly, and, when he opened his eyesockets, his vision was painted in orange glow. He was... _angry_. Papyrus felt angry, but also conflicted. He wanted to believe that everyone had some good in them, that there was a good reason for everything that everyone did. He was not so naive, however, to know that everyone had good intentions. These people...they were misguided in their beliefs, but there were no positive intentions behind this. Looking at his beloved friend's car, covered in filth and hatred, he could only mourn the fact that his brother would lose even more faith in humanity than he already had.

* * *

It was overwhelming, a feeling white-hot that left him feeling chilled to the very marrow. Contradictory and conflicting. His skull buzzed with thoughts and raced as magic fizzed angrily within his bones, looking for an outlet, _begging for an outlet_. He wanted to cut a hole into the Void, large enough to swallow up everyone who'd ever so much as _looked_ at her the wrong way. That's what those people _deserved_ , to float through emptiness for the rest of their miserable lives. The sight of the Void would drive them mad, he knew. It had been an accident, but he had seen what happened to humans who gazed upon it. They screamed until they vomited, until blood gurgled up their throats and foamed in their mouths and nose, and they clawed at their eyes until nothing was left but gaping, bleeding holes. That had been a long while ago, back in one of the few resets where they actually reached the surface... He'd woken up the next morning back in Snowdin, wondering if that was his punishment for showing something so dark to a human.

Dark, darker, yet darker... That was how this felt. This overwhelming feeling of...something. It burned within him, like flames licking against the insides of his ribs in an intimate gesture, so hot that he feared his bones would melt.

 _ **Rage.**_

How dare anyone, _anyone_ , even lay so much as a _finger_ on her? Such a beautiful soul didn't deserve to be treated this way. She had no LOVE, but instead, so much love that it threatened to do her in. It would, too. Her kindness would be her downfall, he knew. That's why he tried so hard to protect her, because she, just like Papyrus, would give someone holding a knife to their throat a second chance.

Naive or stupid, he didn't know which one it was, yet he still admired them for it.

He sat on the floor in front of Toriel's couch, staring unseeingly at the human laid out across it. Their skin and shirt was stained a deep black, and his non-existent stomach lurched at it, at that lack of color that was all too familiar yet so foreign. Frisk had recognized the smell immediately, that sharp, pungent stench that reminded him so much of rubbing alcohol. _'Permanent marker ink.'_ It wasn't acid, wasn't deadly, so why? Why was she splashed with ink, of all things? They could have splashed her with gasoline, kerosene, stabbed her with the same amount of effort...

A bony hand reached out to grasp tightly at one of hers as he shoved those thoughts far, _far_ away. He was suddenly grateful it was ink.

"She will be fine, Sans." A gentle voice came from just behind him, and he didn't have to look to know that it was Toriel. The ex-Queen moved to sit in the armchair next to the couch, reaching a massive paw out to smooth across the human's hair. A part of her longer locks that had draped past her shoulders had also gotten stained, and she now had a chunk of hair that was the same inky black.

"Why, Tori...?" he mumbled, not really expecting an answer, and he wasn't surprised when he didn't receive one. "Why this? Why _her?_ Why- ..." His voice began to raise as he spoke, so he fell silent, running his thumb across the back of her hand in soothing motions. He wasn't sure who he was trying to soothe- her, or himself.

"She is not the only one this has happened to... It has been on the news, though they seem reluctant to say much about it." Sans knew that, knew what she was going to say, but he made no move to stop her. "It is usually after being 'marked' that they..." She trailed off, not wanting to voice it.

"They die."

"Yes, they..." Sighing softly, she withdrew her hand to land on her friend's shoulder. "Perhaps it would be best for us to drive her to work from now on... That way she is not alone for too long." Sans sat unmoving, his sockets empty voids, the smile on his face unnatural, too tense.

"Gimme a job, Tor. I don't gotta teach. Hell, I'll clean bathrooms." She frowned as she felt the bones beneath her paw beginning to shake, rattling together noisily. "Lemme be close to 'er. Keep an eye on 'er."

"Sans...what of your other jobs? Surely you cannot just-"

"I'll quit 'em." She opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of a soft sigh and fabric against fabric made her close it again. The human stirred slightly, eyes slipping open drowsily as she came to. Toriel got to her feet and gently padded into the kitchen, mumbling a quiet 'excuse me', though it went unheard. Sans was already up on his knees, holding onto Lena's hand tightly and staring down into her face. "Babe...?" A slow blink, and the human's eyes focused on him blearily.

"...Sans?" He chuckled and released a sigh, leaning over her to rest against her. "Sans, something happened-"

"I know. 'nd I intend to get every last detail out of ya, but right now, just give yer _bone_ friend a hug, would ya?" He felt arms sliding around his shoulders, pulling him down into her softness, and he felt himself relax. _'She's okay. She's safe,'_ he told himself. _'...for now.'_

"I'm sorry... I didn't think- I-I mean, I didn't know... I honestly don't know why..." He nudged his nasal aperture against her jaw, nuzzling slightly before leaning down to rest his skull between her shoulder and neck.

"Don't worry 'bout it, baby cakes. Yer safe now. We'll figure this out later." He sensed the apprehension and the uncertainty emanating from her soul in cold waves, but she said nothing of it, so he didn't draw attention to it. They sat and ate some butterscotch cinnamon pie and some sea tea before Sans picked her up. She tried to resist, insisting that she could walk, but the almost possessive way he gripped her made her fall quiet. She couldn't tell what exactly was said between the short look he and Toriel shared, and though she was dying to know, she was also very, very tired. After a short trip back to their apartment, Sans had taken it upon himself to carefully tend to the mess the humans had left on her. He peeled off her ink-soaked shirt and threw it in the trash, her bra shortly following it. Once he saw the extent of the 'damage', he ground his teeth together, the sound noisy but not enough so to drown out his gentle order to get in the tub. She did as she was told, kicking off her jeans and underwear as he ran her a bath. It was a little too hot, but she wasn't about to complain; it felt heavenly, easing the tension and stress in her muscles.

Papyrus came in at some point, and Sans got up, leaving her in the tub for a few moments. She could hear them talking quietly just outside the door, but the sound of the running water drowned out whatever conversation she might've tried to hear. By the time he returned the tub was full, so he shut it off, grabbing the wash rag on the bathroom counter and wetting it. He even took off his jacket, dressed in a plain black t-shirt, and her mind wandered as she watched him go through the motions of gently scrubbing at her arm. The bones in his own arms were far thicker than hers were, more closely spaced together to make it look like an actual limb, She reached out and ran her fingertips along his ulna and was startled to hear the pleased rumble that rose from his chest. His cheekbones held a dusting of blue and he chuckled, shrugging his shoulders at her questioning glance as he continued his work.

The ink didn't fade. She was fortunate that it missed her face, the highest splatter of ink resting just an inch or so below her ear. It covered the entire left side of her neck and shoulder. She'd have to start wearing long sleeves and turtle necks again just to hide it.

Once the bath water had gone cool he pulled the plug to drain it, grabbing the large, fluffy towel hanging on the rack and immediately wrapped her up in it. She wasn't used to this, being treated like she was fragile, and, though she could appreciate the gentleness and affection, she didn't feel quite right with it. It was as if Sans thought she was going to disappear at any given moment. _'He's just freaked out... I'll let him coddle me for a little while.'_ That was her last thought as she dozed off, cuddled up on the couch between two skeletons and a mess of blankets.

* * *

Blackness...

That is what your eye perceives when there is no light.

White, on the other hand, is what you see when there is the presence of light. It reflects light. Light, a representation and culmination of all colors.

A spectrum versus a specter.

Monsters are made of love, compassion, and hope. Monster souls are white. So, then, would it be safe to say that love, compassion, and hope are all representations of light?

So, then...what would that make a soul that did not appear white?

One that did not reflect or display love, compassion, or hope?

One that did not reflect any light.

One that was black.

Dark, darker, yet darker...

The specter's grin glints sharply in the moonlight, their eyes crimson moons on the rise. The splattering of blood stood out in vast contrast to the darkness of their soul as they stood, knife in hand, over the gasping, writhing body at their feet.

Dark, darker, yet darker...

What happens when a soul with determination loses its light?

Just as their victim's vision fades into black, the Void within their soul turns just a little bit darker.

Dark, darker, yet darker...

* * *

 **[[ AYYYYYY thank you all so much for reading! Leave me a comment (they encourage me and give me life uwu) or go bug me on Tumblr! (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com) I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I ended up enjoying writing it! Look forward to the next installment! ]]**


	39. A Grumpy lil' Bat's Realization

**[[ OKIE DOKIE, HERE YOU GUYS GO! Someone pointed out to me through message, and I realize I may have forgotten to say anything to you all, so... I've removed the Prologue (what was chapter 1) and have decided to post it separately, so it'll make things easier with naming/posting. I hope you all enjoy! This chapter is mainly through the point of view of our lovely little Ven, the monster child OC that Lena had trouble with before. It's to promote character development for him (and others), to give unique perspective, AND to open up opportunity for next chapter, which will be written more through Lena's and Sans' perspectives. Lots of new content, though, I promise. It'll be another whole new view of a situation! Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

Worrying about a human was the last thing on his mind. In fact, he wouldn't be caught _dust_ even thinking about a human being, outside of threatening or hateful thoughts. He didn't like humans, and he never would. It wasn't that he was _scared_ of them! He wasn't afraid of anything! They were just terrible beings, full of hatred and cruelty. He didn't understand why anyone cared about humans at all. The only human he didn't totally despise was Frisk, and even then...their friendship was uneasy, at least, in his eyes.

Even thinking any of this was a waste of time. The only reason Ven was thinking about it at all was because Frisk, the little determined diplomat that they were, had approached him and told him to 'behave himself'. His lips had pulled back into a sneer and he narrowed his eyes, tail swishing in agitation behind him. "Why should I?" The human child huffed a sigh, shoulders dropping, and their hands began to move in fluent, easy signs.

" _She's not feeling well today,"_ was all they offered, and he wanted to laugh. Why would it affect him any just because his teacher wasn't feeling well? If anything, it made him want to try even _harder_ to get under her skin. All humans were the same. They all lashed out and got angry eventually. He just had to keep pushing, and he'd prove it. Prove that she's just as disgusting deep down, no matter how nice she appeared.

Then the human actually walked in and...she was smiling still, as if she hadn't a care in the world, and, for whatever reason, it only pissed him off more.

"Good morning, class!" she said cheerfully, looking more tired than he'd ever recalled seeing her, and...was she wearing her hair differently today? That was weird. The human usually had her hair back in low pigtails, but today it was pulled over her shoulder in a weird kind of low side pony... Not that he gave a shit! "Today's going to be a pretty easy day. Your instructions are to read over Chapter 12 in your text books until lunch. A small murmur of confusion arose from his classmates and she actually looked guilty. "I know, I know. I promise, I'll make up for such a boring day today. But for now, I'm afraid I'll need you all to be patient. If you can finish reading the chapter before lunch then I'll see about us getting a special something as a treat on Friday!" Her tempting worked, and almost everyone immediately pulled out their books to begin reading. Frisk, however, was still staring at her in that searching way they did, and Ven swore he saw her smile slip for a second. Then they were turning around to look at him, two fingers pointing at their eyes before turning to point at him, and he rolled his eyes. It was with a resigned huff that he pulled out his own textbook, flipping idly to the correct page.

The room was relatively quiet, save for a few little bits of conversation between students. She allowed them to talk amongst themselves so long as they kept reading or discussed the material, though that didn't apply to Ven. Being one of the oldest in his class, he didn't necessarily have many people to talk to. That, and many of the other children, be it monster or human, usually steered clear of him. He was well known for starting trouble. The only ones who ever really bothered him were Monster Kid and Frisk, and even then, it was an unlikely friendship. He hadn't necessarily sought them out as friends...more like they stuck around despite him pushing them away.

Come to think of it, wasn't that how pretty much all of his relationships were? A flash of an orange soul filled his mind. He felt a small tug in his soul and he fought down the tiny smile that tried to curve up on his lips, defiantly glaring down at his textbook.

* * *

When the bell finally sounded for lunch it was with a sharp cry, and Ven felt his eyes fly to the front of the classroom to seek out the source of the noise. His teacher was sitting there, a hand resting against her chest, looking horribly startled. He snorted derisively and rolled his eyes, _'Who gets scared by the bell?'_ She laughed to cover her slip up and waved the few concerned glances away, as though telling them not to worry. "Alright, I'll see you all after lunch! We can talk some more about the chapter once you all return." The scraping of chairs against the linoleum filled the room, the sound grating and loud, and Ven's ears folded downward to try and block out the noise. Sometimes he hated having exceptional hearing. One by one, he watched as his classmates began to file out of the room, turning out into the already crowded hall and heading toward the cafeteria. Frisk knocked gently on the surface of his desk and he stiffened, realizing he'd spaced out for a moment. He looked up with a small frown, brow raised in question, and their hands moved in a flurry of movement.

" _MK and I are going to eat outside today!"_

"That's cool," he said simply, slumping further back into his chair. The human child rolled their eyes and moved their hands more purposefully, forming the signs slowly, as if they were overly emphasizing every word.

" _You're welcome to join us."_ It wasn't an unusual invitation. In fact, Frisk invited him to eat lunch with them every day. Their lunches were so domestic looking, and they always seemed to have so much food packed. Too much for one person. Maybe Queen Toriel knew they shared and wanted to make sure everyone had enough...or maybe his human friend was just exceedingly lucky and was spoiled. _'That's more likely,'_ he thought bitterly, heaving out a sigh despite already getting out of his chair.

"Yeah, alright. It's better than hanging out in here with _them_." He didn't miss the furrowed brows and frown that Frisk sent his way, but he pointedly ignored it, walking around the desks and shoving his hands into his pockets as he strode out into the hallway. He already knew where they were going to be setting up camp for their little outdoor lunch, since it was the same place they did every time they ate outdoors. It was just far enough from everyone else that Ven felt comfortable, and he was alternately thankful and irritated that Frisk even thought that far into something as simple as eating outside. The little corner of the school yard that was shaded in trees, just past the four-square field and hopscotch trail, was a little statue that had been dragged up from the Underground. Ven recalled seeing it several times in Waterfall, sometimes with an umbrella placed over it. Rumor was that, if you shielded the poor abused statue from the rain, it would sing for you... He wasn't certain of how true it was, but it had gone mostly ignored until Frisk showed up. He could remember following the human around, watching as they uselessly placed the umbrella over the sad-looking stone statue. They'd had a knowing look on their face, a touch of sadness in their eyes, and he insisted to himself that he imagined the soft music that began to play after a few, startlingly silent moments.

That very same statue was in that little isolated corner of the yard now, placed under the shade of a few trees, with golden flowers planted all around. As always, Frisk would stare long and hard at the flowers, as if looking for something, before they'd smile and set out their lunch. Ven sat a couple feet away; close enough to reach the food, but far enough away that he wasn't...too close. Frisk was a human, but they weren't grouped into the same category as them in his mind. They had proven themselves. The rest of humanity, however, had not. _Lena_ had not. He refused to believe that she wasn't just another selfish, self-fulfilling human. There were plenty that were 'kind' for their own gains, and she was just another one of them. He was going to expose her for the liar that she was.

He just...was having more difficulty exposing that fact than he thought he would. After their little "encounter" in the classroom, she'd been very careful when approaching him in what he assumed fear. _'Good,'_ he'd sneered to himself, _'The human had better be afraid!'_ After a little while, though, when he actually regained the ability to look her in the eyes, he didn't see fear there... No. Instead, he saw concern, and his soul burned angrily at the thought, that _she_ was worried about _him._ She must be an idiot, he decided, to hold concern for the person who hurt you.

The cold feeling that wormed its way into his chest had most certainly _not_ been guilt of any form, but he shoved it away, regardless.

"Man, Frisk, your mom always makes the best food!" Ven snapped to attention suddenly, glancing around to see that MK and Frisk had already sat down to join him in their little corner, munching on what looked like club sandwiches. He opened his mouth, about to ask where his was, but spotted a perfectly-made sandwich sat directly in front of him on a napkin. Had he been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed? A small flush of violet passed over his cheekbones before he could push it away, snatching the food up and taking a vicious bite. He was irritated. Irritated that a human had taken hold of his thoughts so easily. _'I hate her.'_ He continued to eat with angry vigor until, alas, the sandwich was completely gone, finished in a few over-sized bites. Frisk perked up and held out a small bag of popato chisps to him, but he shoved it back, standing and brushing off his pants before shoving his hands into his pockets. "Hey, what's up?" Monster Kid asked, brow quirked as his face screwed up into a silly expression, tongue trying to wipe away a bit of mustard at the corner of his mouth.

"Gonna go for a walk. Don't wait up." Frisk caught his attention and their hands moved silently, a frown tugging at their lips.

" _You're not going to go prank Miss Lena, are you?"_ Ven growled and his lips curled back into a sneer, eyes narrowing to slits before he turned around.

"No, I'm not. She's not worth the effort," he bit out, stalking across the yard and back toward the building. A few younger children saw his approach and deviated from the path, leaving a wide berth between themselves and him, and he ignored the small sting it gave him. He was used to it. Being intimidating was what he'd pushed for, so he shouldn't expect any less, right? _'Better fear than pity.'_ Once again he found himself feeling anger at someone who wasn't even present, and his hands curled into tight fists within his pockets. As he made his way through the building, wandering the relatively empty hallways, he found himself relaxing just a bit.

"...-think that's really true, do you?"

The hushed voice of another teacher caught his attention and he realized that he was passing by the staff workroom. His larger ears perked up at the sound and he stopped to lean against the wall. Eavesdropping wasn't the worst thing he'd ever done, and he felt no guilt for doing it. Several voices were coming from inside, the slight scuffling sounds of feet against linoleum mingling with the industrial-sized copy machine that, he was certain, was supposed to be acting as cover noise.

"Her Majesty _did_ say that he was going to be starting work here sometime next week..."

"Do you really think that they're together? I mean, _really?_ _That_ lazybones?" A few groans, and they quickly retracted. "I didn't mean it as a pun, honest!"

"Guess we'll have to get used to hearing them soon enough, though I have no idea what he's going to be doing."

"Um, nothing, if I know him at all." The group laughed amongst themselves lightly, though it was tense. "Lady Toriel did seem rather distracted earlier. The last thing I want to believe is that she's really been _marked_ , but-"

"Shhh! We're not supposed to say anything about it!"

"Sorry, sorry! It's just... Even though she's a human, I really rather like her. It's a shame that she's been..." They trailed off, and the atmosphere suddenly felt very dark.

"...may the Angel have mercy and spare her from such a fate."

The shuffling of footsteps approaching made him jerk away from the door, quickly resuming his trek down the hallway as he did his best to look nonchalant. A couple of the teachers that left gave him wary glances but, otherwise, said nothing to him. They probably knew he had heard, but they didn't care. He was just a trouble making brat, after all.

His feet carried him further still, up flights of stairs, down various hallways, making circles as he walked out his aggravation. The only sounds that really stood out were the clicks of his boot heels against the smooth linoleum flooring, the brush of fabric from his pants that swished against one another as he walked, and his breathing. In through his nose... _'This is stupid.'_ ...and out through his mouth. _'Why am I still thinking about this?'_ ...In through his nose... _'God damn it all.'_ ...and out through his mouth. _'I hate her!'_ ...In through his nose... _'I wish she would just disappear!'_ His breath felt like it caught strongly within his chest, like it snagged on a sharp, jagged hooked claw, pulling it in deeper, not allowing him to release it and draw in fresh air.

" _I hate humans."_ He raised a hand to grasp gently at his throat, fingers trembling slightly as he still tried to exhale, despite the force fighting him. _"I hate_ _ **her**_ _!"_ Were these thoughts even his? They felt foreign in his mind, like the way a word leaves your tongue feeling funny the first time you ever say it aloud. _"They all deserve to die-"_

"No, Sans, I can't tonight." A familiar voice cut through the static of fear and sudden, startling darkness and, despite his mind telling it otherwise, he felt his soul pulse weakly in a way of reaching out for it. Not necessarily the voice or the person, but the comfort it offered. A small pain in his head was the only reminder of the thoughts presence' at all, and images of smiley face emojis drawn in red. He shook his head quickly, violet bangs brushing his forehead as he slowly came back to his surroundings. Where was he again?

"...I know that, but I have to stay late tonight." It was Lena's voice. He'd apparently walked for so long that he wound up in front of his classroom again. She gave a small huff of a sigh and his ears picked up on it far more acutely than it should have. He found himself standing just outside the door, listening in again. "Look, I know that. ... No, really, I do. But I need to get all these papers graded, and there's an after-school faculty meeting." She paused, and her voice sounded just a tad strained. "Yes, it's mandatory. ...Look, I have to go. Lunch hour is just about up, and- ..." Another sigh, the squeaking of the rolling chair that's sat behind her desk, and Ven cautioned a peek inside. She was leaning with her head propped up on her elbow, looking far too tired to be the teacher he knew. "Sans, please... I'll call you when it's done, okay?" She drew in a steady breath through her nose and tugged her fingers through her hair, and it moved aside just enough for him to see-

Black ink. An ugly black splotch staining her skin, and his ears laid back flat, eyes widening as he was suddenly overwhelmed with realization. _'She's been marked... They're gonna get her.'_ He pulled himself away from the doorway and continued walking in the opposite direction from which he'd been headed, gnawing on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. This was what he wanted, right? One less human to pollute the world, to oppress him and his people? The claws on his hands bit sharply into tender palms, and he tasted blood from where he'd bitten his cheek.

...Why wasn't he happy about it?

* * *

The rest of the day dragged by, but he could hardly tell. It was as if he'd been separated from his own body. None of the things he touched, he actually felt, and none of the things he read he actually saw. Disassociation. He knew of it, knew well enough to understand that's what he was going through, but he almost preferred it. It was better than the confusion and dizzying one-eighty his soul was trying to do on him. Something about the color black had changed his mind, made her seem so much lighter in comparison...but, then again, maybe it was just the fact that she was sentenced to death that had him trying to sing a different tune.

He didn't want it. That tune could shove itself into _Jerry's Ass_ and fuck straight off. He hadn't asked to see what he saw, to hear what he'd heard. For the first time, he found himself regretting being an eavesdropper.

Ven was pulled from his thoughts by a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he was so out of it that he didn't flinch away when he looked up and saw who it was.

"Ven...are you alright? The final bell rang some time ago..." Was it just him, or had her eyes seemed brighter every other day before? Why did she look so...tired? Had she already resigned herself to the fate that awaited her? Did she have so little Determination that she wasn't going to fight it? She frowned deeply, slowly withdrawing her hand to tug at her hair. "Do I need to call Kupa for you..?" The familiar name made his soul tug in his chest and he shook his head, averting his gaze to glare stubbornly out the window.

"No, 'm fine." In the distance, he could see clouds rolling in, bringing with them a warning of rain. The atmosphere outside was turning dreary, the only thing cutting through the metaphorical smog being the bright clementine-colored buses full of students that slowly pulled away from the building, making their way down the street before disappearing around the first turn they took. A small shuffling noise pulled his gaze from the window and he noted, indifferent, that she had moved to sit at the desk next to his. She wasn't looking at him, her eyes centered on the blackboard at the front of the room. They lacked focus, though, as if she were there, physically, but, mentally, she was somewhere far, far away.

"I can see why you hate humans so much..." she murmured after a long, long silence, and he flinched as something like a shadow passed over her eyes. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, though, and he felt his brows furrowing as he narrowed his eyes at her.

He 'hated her,' but he hated that look in her eyes even more.

His chair clattered noisily as he stood up abruptly from his desk, his palms slammed flat against the surface. She jumped and glanced up at him worriedly, her lips parting to ask a question that he didn't want to hear. "Kupa's here," he bit out quietly, grabbing his bag roughly and throwing it over his shoulder as he stalked across the room, pausing just at the doorway. "...See ya tomorrow, Miss Lena." With that farewell he continued walking, allowing his feet to carry him toward the light, comforting presence of a familiar soul.

* * *

He didn't consider himself an all-knowing monster, but there was a certain sureness in his soul that allowed him to say that he was fairly observant. His voice was soft and, despite his size, he did very little to assert himself into a situation, leaving him open to sit back and watch without bias. So when Kupanda arrived at the school to pick up his charge and the smaller monster merely stared at him in silence, he knew something was wrong. A flash of violet in Ven's amber eyes and he was flying, a small pair of transparent amethyst wings sprouted from his back, until he threw his arms around Kupa's long neck. His magic dissipated almost instantly and the comparatively tiny monster buried his face into the other's shoulder, claws grasping tightly at his t-shirt.

Immediately the towering monster's mind filled with worry. What could have possibly happened that would upset his charge so much? As much as his mind burned with a desire to know the answer he kept quiet, glancing up at the building as he turned. He caught sight of a familiar human standing by one of the topmost windows, her expression weary, tired, and he felt his soul clench within his chest with concern. ...But he had someone right in front of him who needed him, and it wasn't his business to pry into the lives of others. He turned and made the short trip back to their apartment, one arm supporting Ven's bottom effortlessly while the other pulled his phone from his pocket, scrolling through the mass of orders and messages he'd gotten.

Ven didn't say anything when they got back, nor did he say anything all through dinner. It was an uncharacteristically quiet night, and, despite how peaceful it might've seemed to an outsider looking in, Kupanda couldn't remember the last time he felt so tense.

It was just before bed and, despite his patience, the larger monster decided that he'd waited long enough. Something was very obviously on the younger's mind, and he was going to at least reach out. He sat on the couch where Ven had curled up, fingers mindlessly tapping on a video game controller. A large hand reached out and settled on top of the child's head and, giving him a patient smile, moved just close enough that his arm brushed against his side. Almost immediately, Ven tossed the controller down, face screwing up in frustration.

"I fucking hate her!" he shouted, voice wavering across the word 'hate' in a way that made Kupanda sigh. It wasn't the first time he'd said something like that, and though, normally, he'd remind him of his language, he stayed silent. "Sh-she's so goddamn happy all the time, always smiling at us, making us notice when she's not doing well! I hate her!" It was unsurprising when lilac-tinted tears welled up in his golden eyes, and Kupa was quick to reach forward and wipe them away.

"So you saw..." It was more a statement than a question, but the way the child flinched bodily and scrunched up his face was answer enough.

"I...I-I hate her! Getting marked like that, 's all her fault! It's her fault for bein' so nice to monsters all the time! Why can't she be like all the others!?" he cried, his voice ragged, breaking over the last word as if it shattered into pieces. To anyone else, Ven doesn't make sense. He's just an angry child with behavior problems, one who is violent and causes trouble for no reason.

Kupanda saw past that. As he should, being his soulmate.

There was a slight tug and Ven's eyes widened, falling silent as his own soul was summoned forth, floating between them. It was small, so tiny compared to Kupa's large hands. He could easily curl his fingers and encase it within his palm. As he cupped it like it was something fragile, he looked down into it, deep beneath the flowing purple hues, to a small circle of gold. Within that, an inky blackness, dark as pitch and violently writhing, but the golden aura kept it in check, not allowing it to spread.

' _He doesn't hate her, not really... She's shown that she's not like the 'bad' humans, and he doesn't like that. Even more so, now that she's been marked...it reminds him too much of this little bit of darkness in his own soul that he shamefully tries to keep hidden. He feels pity for her...he just doesn't know how to express that.'_ With a sigh Kupanda returned the child's soul to his chest, unfazed as Ven clambered onto his lap and buried his face in his chest, shoulders shaking with small, shuddering breaths that wet his t-shirt. As he carried the confused and upset child to bed, he gave a firm reminder to himself to ask for an audience with Lady Toriel.

* * *

 **[[ And there you have it! Please please PLEASE leave me comments to let me know what you think, message me here on , OR you can follow me and this fic on Tumblr (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com)! I love you guys! ]]**


	40. Beginning of Dusk

**[[ Okay guys, THIS HAS NOT BEEN BETA'D YET. I have someone reading it over for me, but I don't know when they'll be done, sooo...yeah. I got too eager and decided to post it anyway. I'll replace this chapter with the beta'd one once it's been done. A lot happens this chapter, so strap yourselves in and get ready for a hell of a ride. I also apologize in advance... Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

The amount of hatred he felt toward whoever would _dare_ touch Lena made his soul feel sick. It was something he wasn't made to feel, wasn't supposed to allow to culminate within his soul, but it was. Slowly and steadily, he could feel the cold yet burning sensation eating away at him, gnawing deeper into his bones until he swore it was running freely within his marrow. _'Why her?'_ He didn't understand, but, then again, he didn't really _want_ to understand. How someone could treat such a Kind soul with such cruelty… it was beyond him. She did nothing to deserve it, couldn't do anything in an entire _lifetime_ that would call for such treatment…

…and, even worse, it seemed as though he had no power to stop it.

Every day she risked being hurt. Every day, she ran the risk of her bright ambivalent soul darkening, growing dim, and the thought alone of her soul breaking made his bones rattle with a shudder. _'No,'_ he insisted, _'that'll never happen. I won't let it.'_ He pointedly ignored the voice in his mind that reminded him of just how well he'd managed to do with that thus far. His self-deprecating thoughts could wait. Right now, he had a tired human to look after.

 _His human._

The stench of ink was still strong, and, though it didn't affect him in the same way it affected her, he still felt the need to have it removed. He peeled her stained and soaked shirt from her skin, the unique sound of something stuck being gently pulled away from a flat surface filling his skull. There was so much black. So much ink. It had missed her face, thankfully, but only by a few gracious inches. The ink had stained the skin on the side of her neck, just beneath her ear. It spread down over her shoulder and onto her arm, ending just above her elbow. It reminded him of pictures he had seen in books, and he wanted to laugh as he wondered if the Universe had delivered this fate to her for him, as some sort of fucked up Rorschach test. _'Wonder what it'd say about my personality. Unable to protect things that are important?'_ His thoughts were more bitter than the ink that stained her as he removed her bra, as well, tossing both into the trash. He felt a dull ache in his teeth as he told her to get into the bathtub, which he then promptly turned on his heel to fill. Temperature was different for him to sense, compared to human skin, but his magic was good enough. The water was probably a little too warm, but she always seemed to love being warm, and what he wanted most right then was to bring her comfort.

He turned as soon as the water was running at the desired temperature to see her lingering in the doorway, grasping onto the wall for support and balance. Her eyes were already falling half-lidded again, like she'd fall asleep on her feet. He gently guided her into the water, watching her slump comfortably against the tub wall. His hand twitched as he reached for a washcloth, but a soft click of a door caught his attention. She seemed contentedly blissed out, so he got up silently and stepped out into the hallway, nearly bumping into Papyrus' chest plate. He immediately held a finger up to his teeth, the universal sign to be quiet, and his brother nodded.

"I have finished taking care of her vehicle, brother. I didn't… I wasn't sure what to do with it, exactly, so I gathered everything from inside it and drove it to an abandoned lot on the edge of town." Sans nodded along as he spoke, his dim eyelights flitting between the ground and his brother's face.

"Good, good… You get the plates, too?" Papyrus grinned and gave a gloved thumbs up, prompting a small chuckle from the shorter skeleton. "Great. Thanks, Paps. Hate for people to see it in the mornin', y'know?"

"Yes, that would be…unfortunate. People would surely be upset." A small pause, then, in a softer voice, Papyus spoke, glancing toward the bathroom door with sockets lidded with worry. "How is she?" Sans sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"She's not injured, really. They uh…threw ink on her, 's all." The importance of the attack wasn't lost on Papyrus, and the taller skeleton's expression wilted slightly. "Just a stain. It'll go away." When his brother did not brighten any, he continued, his voice forceful but soft. "Nothin' else is gonna happen to her, Paps." Papyrus looked slightly guilty, as if feeling uncertain and worrying were wrong. After a short moment, though, he nodded, not exactly smiling, but he didn't look nearly as mournful.

"Yes, you are right, brother. We will most certainly look out for her and keep any bad from befalling her!"

"Yeah, I'll keep her safe, don't worry," Sans said shortly, turning back to the bathroom door as anxiety fluttered in his soul. "Hey, how's about you go turn on one of your favorite MTT movies? I'm gonna get her all cleaned up and then we'll join you." He didn't get to see the slightly surprised frown on Papyrus' face as he quickly strode back into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. His eyes immediately sought out Lena, who, just as he left her, was reclined against the back of the tub. In fact, she looked like she was about to fall asleep. Images of her drowning in the tub flooded his mind, and he shoved them off forcibly as he shut off the water that had still been filling the tub. He shrugged off his jacket and grabbed the washcloth on the bathroom counter, dipping it in the water to wet it before beginning the painstakingly gentle and slow process of washing her down. The ink immediately stained the pale blue wash rag and, when he rinsed it, the water began to grow murky and gray. _'This is my fault. I should've been there, I should've—_ '

A light touch across his ulna startled him from his thoughts, and the comfort was so unexpected, yet so badly needed, that he couldn't help the pleased rumbling sound that escaped him. He chuckled and gave a slight shrug at her curious expression, giving himself only that momentary pause before he continued with the task at hand. It wasn't fading, but the ink that was resting on the surface of her skin was gone. He still waited until the water had gone cool before he pulled the plug, draining the filthy grey water. He wanted that ink as far away from them as possible. The washrag was tossed into the trash as he turned, grabbing the fluffiest towel hanging on the rack and all but swaddling her up in it, drying her off with an amount of gentleness that he wasn't used to showing. He was afraid of hurting her any further, of doing anything to darken her already dimmed soul

He took her to her room and dressed her in her favorite sleep shirt and sweat pants, foregoing a bra (partly because he figured it'd be more comfortable, and mostly because he wasn't sure he could get it on her comfortably). The whole time he made sure to keep a hand on her somehow, always keeping contact with her physically. He needed the reassurance that she was there, that she was fine, probably more than she needed the comfort. It was after a few minutes that he led her out to the living room to join Papyrus on the couch. He couldn't tell what movie Papyrus had chosen, but he wasn't really paying any attention to it at all. His attention was, instead, on Lena, who was already slumping in her spot between the two skeletons on the couch. She fell onto Papyrus' shoulder as she dozed off, the taller skeleton giving her a warm smile, and Sans immediately reached out and pulled her over to rest against his side. His magic sizzled within his bones when his brother reached out to brush the human's hair out of her eyes and, sensing it, Papyrus drew his gloved hand back quickly, a frown curving downward on his skull.

"Sans…?" The elder brother gave a short, noncommittal grunt, pulling Lena even more closely to his side. The human gave a soft moan of discomfort in her sleep, and Papyrus sighed. "Brother, she is safe here," he stated simply, then, when he got no answer, "…Do you not think so?" The slightest bit of offense was obvious in his tone, and despite him not being called out, Sans felt a bit of frustration well up in his chest. He slid his arms around the sleeping human, one around her shoulders, the other under her knees, and lifted her easily from the couch.

"Night, bro," he called back as he headed down the hallway and into her room. The door was closed and locked behind him with magic, and even so, he still turned to check and make sure it was locked securely after he laid her in bed. The covers were pulled up and he curled himself protectively around her, as if that, alone, would be enough to keep her safe. Her chest rose and fell with steady breaths, each one deep and rhythmic, and despite how easily listening to her usually led him to his own sleep, he remained awake. He refused to sleep. What if someone came in to hurt her in her sleep? Sure, it was unlikely, especially since the door was locked, and Papyrus was home, as well. …But what if something were to happen to her while she slept, if she stopped breathing? What if her heart stopped? He leaned down to press the side of his skull against her back between her shoulder blades, hearing that familiar beat and sighing in relief. _'This is ridiculous. She's…she's fine. She's not injured._ ' Images of black hearts and crimson smiley faces plagued his mind until he decided that no, he most certainly would be staying awake…

* * *

The first thing that she really becomes aware of is the fact that she's sweating. The fuzzy lining of her sweat pants are sticking to her thighs uncomfortably, and she wondered why on earth she would ever wear her warmest clothes to bed or, at the very least, why she hadn't slept on top of the covers, or turned the fan on. Then, slowly, she noticed an abnormal warmth that was not her own emanating from behind her, and, when she tried to turn over, she found herself held fast by a pair of bony arms around her waist. One was even looped under her hip, causing enough discomfort for her to wince and pull away slightly.

"Hey," came the husky voice from behind her, and she shivered slightly despite the sweat, slowly forcing her eyes open against the light filtering in through the windows. Sans looked…well, tired. There were deeper-looking shadows beneath his sockets, and the little pinpricks of light within his eyesockets were dim.

"Hey…" She bit her lip and her brows furrowed, looking over him worriedly. The events of the day before began to return to her, and he must have sensed it somehow, because his already tight hold on her increased. "Yesterday…I was—"

"Nope. You gotta eat somethin' first." She blinked from how suddenly he interrupted, a small frown tugging at her lips as he pulled away from her, sitting up and reaching to the bedside table for…a plate of spaghetti? She raised a brow, which he answered with a chuckle. "Paps has been in a cooking frenzy, wearing himself out putting enough magic into it to heal an army."

"What? But he didn't have to..." Trailing off slightly, the plate was pushed into her hands as soon as she sat up. She sighed, picking up the fork and twirling the noodles around it as Sans pressed close to her side. Even though it was inconvenient because he was against the side of the arm she was trying to use, she said nothing of it. _'He's just worried. He'll calm down in a little bit…'_ Between bites of (quite honestly, absolutely _delicious_ ) pasta, Lena attempted to make conversation, hoping to approach the subject of what had happened so she could get it off her chest. Every single time, Sans interrupted her, finding something else to distract her with.

"We'll talk later, babe. Right now, you oughta finish eatin'. Paps worked real hard to make it."

…After about a dozen times, Lena began to wonder exactly when 'later' would be. Immediately after she finished eating, Sans had carried her out to the couch in the living room, situating them with him leaning back against the armrest, and her laying with her back to his chest. It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, oddly enough, but she still wasn't quite…comfortable. Partway into the third movie, Lena started to become unable to ignore the incessant affections he was paying her. No matter what, he was always touching her in some way, always wanting her to be close. He nuzzled his nasal aperture against her jawline for so long that the skin began to feel rubbed raw. The same could be said for her arms, which he continually trailed the tips of his blunt phalanges over, in a motion that was once soothing but was quickly becoming an irritant—and not just a physical one. Despite the onslaught of affectionate gestures, they all felt…empty, like he wasn't really doing them with his 'heart' in it. As soon as she realized that, she began to notice how his hugs felt more like holds, and where she used to feel captivated she just felt…captive. A sense of unease began to fall over her soul, especially when he insisted that she leave the door open when she needed to use the bathroom. Had Papyrus not been out at Undyne's, she would have argued against it more fervently. She relented, though, and opened the bathroom door after having finished her business to see Sans leaning against the opposite side of the hallway, waiting for her.

| **Lena:** He won't even let me go to the bathroom without him standing outside the door… |

| **Lena** : I know he's worried, but this all feels a little bit much, don't you think? |

| **Papyrus** : I AM SORRY HUMAN. HE IS JUST WORRIED ABOUT YOU AND IS HAVING TROUBLE EXPRESSING IT, I THINK. |

| **Papyrus:** PERHAPS YOU SHOULD TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL? |

"Hey, what're you doin'? You're missin' the movie." A faint blue aura surrounded her phone and, before she could grab it, moved it across the room. It landed on top of the entertainment center with a small thud, and when Lena turned to say something to him, he simply turned her around again so that her back was to him, his arms holding snugly around her waist. The sense of unease grew.

It was after another movie that she decided she'd had enough.

The video was one of her favorites, and despite that fact, she felt like she couldn't enjoy it. She was so intent on focusing on the movie and not on Sans that it left her feeling a little…bittersweet. She wriggled out of his grasp, despite his obvious yet silent protests of tightening his grip around her waist, and broke free from the couch, padding quietly yet quickly across the living room and down the hall to her room. Then, as soon as her door was closed, she deftly turned the thumb lock, only a half second before she heard the knob attempt to turn. She heard the small noise of surprise and confusion from the other side of the door, but she ignored it. She wanted to be alone.

The human stripped down bare, letting her clothes stay wherever they fell, and walked into her private bathroom. The tile was cold against the bottoms of her feet, a gentle noise of her soles' soft impact filling the eerily silent room. A shiver ran over her as she paused to glance at herself in the mirror. Her reflection was startling, her own eyes staring back at her looking so uncharacteristically tired that she felt like, if only for a moment, she was looking at someone else. Then her gaze slid just below her head, staring into the inky darkness that had been stained onto her skin, and she felt her chest tighten. It wasn't all as bad as she'd thought it would be yet, somehow, looking at it made it worse. She could see as well as feel the patches of skin that had become tainted, overly sensitive, and vulnerable. She felt a small shuddering within her chest, just beneath her sternum, and her hand moved to rest over her soul, as if that simple action would be enough to soothe it. _'Everything will be okay,'_ she assured herself, looking up into the mirror and smiling back at her own reflection.

The smile she got in return was just hollow enough that she tore her eyes away from the mirror, turning and stepping into the shower. The glass doors slid closed with an audible scraping sound, and she reminded herself to do something to fix it later. _'Like Sans would let me go to the store and get WD-40…'_ She shook her head to dispel the thought and turned on the water, drawing in a sharp breath as the first spurts of cold water hit her skin. It eventually warmed, allowing her to move from her place leaned against the back of the shower and stand underneath the spray of water. The sound of the running water acted like white noise, drowning out nearly every other sound.

However, she still heard the odd popping sound, felt the pressure in the room increase just slightly, as if there was air being forced into the room that wasn't supposed to be there. Her eyes closed tightly, the faint smell of ozone washing over her. All she'd wanted was to be alone for a minute.

…Well, techinically, it _had_ been a minute.

She peeked from the corner of her eye and saw, just as she suspected, that Sans' blurry outline was leaning against the bathroom door. The _locked_ bathroom door. For some reason that fact made her feel all the more insecure, the uneasiness she'd felt before reaching the point of bursting, and it released itself in the form of extra droplets of water trailing down her cheeks. It was ideal, she mused, that she was in the shower. At least that way she could easily explain away her tears. _'When did being around Sans stop feeling good…?'_ She drew in a soft, shuddering breath as she curled in on herself, the water spraying against her back comfortingly. It was the only true comfort she'd felt all day, and god, she couldn't understand why she felt so _lonely_ even though Sans was _right there_ , literally a few feet away.

By the time she finally felt like washing up, the water had run cold. She hastily scrubbed at her body and hair, taking very little care to make sure she was gentle, leaving her skin pink and raw-feeling. The water was shut off, the doors slid open, and she grabbed the towel to dry herself, only making a half-assed attempt at drying her thick mess of auburn hair before she let the towel drop carelessly to the floor in a wet heap. She stepped across the small room and unlocked the door, purposefully walking around the observing skeleton and falling into her bed. There were a few moments of tense silence, and she started to think that maybe he'd left until finally the mattress dipped, and he crawled in behind her. The same hold around her waist returned, even tighter, and she fell asleep wishing that she was in that bed all alone.

* * *

Sans just wasn't sure what to do anymore. He'd been doing so well, he thought, making his human happy, making her smile and laugh and open up to him in ways he'd only ever dreamed of. Yet here he was, standing outside her shower and watching as her soul writhed in obvious pain… Pain that he seemed to be causing, but he wasn't sure how. He'd been sure to distract her from the troublesome topic, though really it was only because he himself didn't want to think about it…because thinking about it would mean having to admit, even in his mind, that she was in danger, and that it was his fault. It would open up the opportunity for her to say untrue things, like that it _wasn't_ his fault, or, stars forbid, if she started talking like she accepted her fate.

He's fairly certain that his soul would shatter if she talked to him about doing things together for the _last time_.

Still, despite his best attempts, she was unhappy. He could tell even without looking at her soul, from the way her normally bright eyes looked so listless and dull, the way her smiles she gave him were tense, ingenuine. He hated it. He hated it, but he wasn't willing to change his mind. He was doing this for her own good, to keep her safe. He would keep her beside him and protect her, and he'd make sure that those awful nightmares he's had would never, _ever_ come true. Chara wouldn't be able to lay a single finger on her. She would be safe. She would still be with him. Maybe she was unhappy right now, but someday she'd realize what he was trying to do, and she'd understand.

" _YOU CANNOT JUST DECIDE FOR ME LIKE THAT, BROTHER!"_

His eyesockets slid closed against the memory, Papyrus' voice slipping through his thoughts as a reminder. Yes…this wasn't the first time he'd done this, afterall, was it? He'd done this for as long as he could remember, simply because it was the only way he knew. It wasn't right, he knew, but what else was he supposed to do? He wasn't going to stand by and let her go off to her death. To _hell_ with that.

' _It's for her own good..'_ he told himself as she brushed past him, her eyes obviously avoiding him, and the flare of pain within his soul at the action made his hand twitch up to rest against his sternum. He hated it…but he _loved her._ In order to protect her, he would do anything. He stood just outside her bathroom door, dim eyelights trailing over her blanket covered form, the dip and curve of her hips. Her spine was arched outward more as she tried to curl in on herself, looking so much smaller than she usually did. _'It's for her own good.'_ After a few moments of simply watching her try and disappear between her sheets he stepped out, feeling the mattress dip beneath his added weight as he moved in to lay close behind her. He repeated that thought to himself, over and over again, even as his arms locked tightly around her waist. He felt her soul's aura wilt even further and, with it, his squeezed painfully within his chest.

' _It's for her own good.'_

' _It's for her own good.'_

' _She'll be safe.'_

' _She'll be safe…'_

' _I'll keep her safe… …"_

He could tell you exactly at what time she fell asleep, what her expression looked like, the way her hair was blown from out of her face with a small huff of breath just as she closed her eyes against the darkness. Once again, he didn't sleep, and despite the fatigue nipping away at his soul, he fervently shoved it away. His mantra of thoughts were what kept him awake, despite his desire to give in. He wanted nothing more than to let her in, to apologize and ask for her help, to tell her how afraid he was, and to sleep by her side…but he couldn't. In order to truly protect her, he had to distance himself from her, just a little bit. Physically, he remained closer than ever, but still…

' _I need a drink.'_ Carefully, so as not to wake Lena, he pulled back and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, trying to ignore the pang of hurt his soul felt as she seemed to sleep more easily without him holding her. He breathed a hiss of a sigh from between his teeth and pushed himself up, padding across the room and cutting a doorway straight to the kitchen. He reached for the familiar bottle of amber liquid and pulled it down, mouth drawing up into a wry smile as he grabbed a glass from the cabinet. Foregoing ice, he unscrewed the lid from the bottle quickly and poured until the glass was full, setting the thick glass bottle on the counter with a faint _'clink'_ and raising the glass to his mouth. It was all poured in, his magic flaring warmly within his bones as he processed the alcohol. He was quick to pour himself another glass, and another, and another…until he started to finally relax a bit, his eyes falling half-lidded.

"Brother…" Sans whirled around, a bit of the liquid sloshing out over his phalanges, and he muttered a soft curse. Papyrus stood just outside the entryway to the kitchen, still clad in his pajamas. The expression on his face was one of concern, and a mild disappointment that made Sans want to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Hey," he said, voice thick and rough from the alcohol, and he cleared his 'throat' to try again. "Hey, bro. What're you doin' up?" The younger skeleton glanced warily at the glass in his hand, giving a small, tense smile.

"I could ask you the same." Sans flinched slightly. He knew full and well how his brother felt about him drinking. He had done a lot of that in the Underground, back when he had all but lost hope and spent his time awaiting and yet avoiding every reset. Hazy memories of stumbling home or, even worse, having Grillby call Papyrus to carry him home surfaced in his mind, which he quickly shook away.

He shrugged, "Couldn't sleep." How many times had he used that excuse? Enough that Papyrus gave a small, irritable sigh, and Sans braced himself for the talk that was sure to come.

"Sans…" Papyrus huffed out a tired sigh, raising an oddly gloveless hand to rub across his face. "Perhaps you should sleep in your own room tonight…?" The smaller skeleton tensed. "It would appear that you are not sleeping well in her room. A night of rest would do you both some good, I think." Frowning slightly, Sans raised his glass to sip from it quietly, giving no response. "Look… I apologize if it is not my place to say, but...you are worrying far too much. She is here, in our home. She is _safe_ , brother. You do not need to be so concerned." Giving a small hum, Sans set the glass down on the counter, tapping his fingertips against it softly.

"Hn… Yeah, you're right, Paps," he muttered, and Papyrus' relieved expression lasted only a few short seconds before Sans spoke again, his voice far too level. "It's _not_ your place to say." The look of hurt that passed over his brother's expression was far more painful than anything else he could have said.

"Sans, please. You have surely noticed that she has been unhappy, yes? If, perhaps, you were to relax a little bit and loosen your grip-" A sharp cracking noise broke through his words and his eyesockets widened slightly to see that his brother had tightened his grip on the glass so much that it had broken. A jagged crack now ran down its side, the small remainder of whiskey leaking through it to form a puddle on the counter. Sans was staring- no, _glaring_ at the wall, his eyesockets dark, and, after a moment of stifling silence, Papyrus gave a heavy sigh.

"I worry for you very much, brother...but I am also worried about my friend. We all want to protect her. But if you keep things as they are…" He trailed off, gently gesturing toward the broken glass. "She will be like the glass in your hand. ...That is all I wished to say." The soft sound of feet padding away on the carpet told Sans that the other had left, but it was only once the door down the hallway clicked shut that he allowed himself to slump against the counter.

What has gotten into him?! Did he really just speak that way towards Papyrus, of all people?! A soft groan rumbled up from his chest as he slowly released his grip on the glass, watching as it fell apart into his hand, broken. ' _Stars, what the fuck am I supposed to do…?'_ He spent a good while longer in the kitchen, standing and staring at the sharp edges of broken glass, thoughts buzzing madly within his skull. When he did finally return to her room, he sat up against the headboard, watching Lena's chest rise and fall with breath as he tried to come to grips with the 'right' and 'wrong' inside his own head.

' _What do I do…?'_

* * *

It shouldn't have come as much of a surprise when she started getting ready for work that the questions started. She'd managed to sneak into her bathroom and run a brush through her hair as Sans stumbled out of bed, still awake, grumbling something about 'coffee'. Once she'd gotten her locks otherwise under control, she immediately headed back to her closet, pulling on the first acceptable things she grabbed. It only took her a moment's pause to realize that she'd have to dress in something more…concealing. With this thought, she returned the short-sleeved blouse to its hanger in her closet and, instead, pulled out a well-worn mint green turtleneck. She'd just managed to pull it down over her stomach and smoothed it out when Sans returned, two steaming mugs in hand. He froze mid-step for a moment when he saw her dressed, but he was quick to return to 'normal'.

"Hey, babe. Whatcha getting' all dressed up for?" There it was. She bit the inside of her cheek and sent him a small, tense smile.

"It's Monday, Sans. And my class isn't going to teach itself!" Her words were full of a cheerfulness that she didn't really feel, and despite seeing his eyesockets narrow slightly, she moved closer. She took one of the mugs from his hand and raised it to take a long sip. It was too hot, and she scalded her tongue a bit, but, somehow, it felt better. She walked around him and into the kitchen, where Papyrus was already packing up the last of the bagged lunches. His smile brightened considerably when he saw her and she returned it, feeling genuinely happy to see him. "Good morning, Papyrus."

"GOOD MORNING! I HOPE THAT YOU ARE PREPARED FOR THE DAY OF TEACHING YOU HAVE AHEAD OF YOU!" he greeted energetically, snatching up the brown bag with her name written across the front and dangling it between his thumb and index finger. "I MADE SURE TO PACK YOU A LUNCH WITH PLENTY OF CARBOHYDRATES SO YOU HAVE AMPLE ENERGY! ALSO, THERE IS A SNACK, SHOULD YOU GET HUNGRY BEFORE LUNCHTIME!" Lena nodded and took the lunch from him, her smile widening.

"Thank you so much, Pappy. It's perfect." A clearing throat pulled their attention back to Sans, leaned against the kitchen doorway and swirling the coffee within his ceramic mug. His smile was just a little too tight across his face, and Lena had already known that he wouldn't be happy about it, but she'd prayed that he wouldn't fight it.

"What's this about you goin' to work…? You still need more rest, babe. You oughta just stay home today," he said easily enough, but the way his phalanges tightened around the mug when she sighed didn't bode well.

"It's too short notice, and I don't feel right just staying home when I'm fine—"

"You were, uh, kinda put through a lot pretty recently. Tori would understand." He interrupted, his voice firm, and the way his already dim eyelights became even less visible told her that he wasn't going to back down without a fight. Papyrus glanced between the two of them, wringing his gloved hands as Lena's smile fell slightly.

"Sans… I _want_ to go to work," she said evenly, trying so hard to keep her smile, but it was fading fast, along with her patience. Heaving a small sigh, Sans took a quick swig from his mug of coffee, not as bothered by the too hot temperature.

"…Alright." Lena looked up, smile returning as she felt hopeful, but it was quickly dashed when she saw Sans heading into his own bedroom. "Lemme get dressed and we can go." Her heart fell a bit, her stomach twisting slightly as she contemplated the situation at hand. How was she supposed to say this..?

"But… You have work today, don't you?" she asked, and all she got in response was a flippant wave, dismissing her question entirely. He pulled on a clean shirt and shrugged into his favorite fur-lined coat. His phone was withdrawn from his pocket and he started flipping through his contacts, not looking up from it as he started heading for the front door, gesturing for her to follow.

"I'll just call in, no big deal. C'mon, let's get goin'." She didn't move. It took him a few moments to realize it and, when he did, he glanced up with a quirked browbone. "What's up?" She bit her lip and curled her fingers into the hem of her sweater, tugging on it soothingly.

"Sans…you can't just call in like that for no reason."

"'s not for no reason—"

"I'll see you when I get home, okay?" she asked, but it sounded far less like a question and more like a statement. The faintest grinding sound came from Sans as his jaw clenched, teeth grating together the slightest bit, and Papyrus flinched from the sound. The room felt like it was filled with charged air, like the air before a thunderstorm. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest as she implored without words, hoping and praying that he wouldn't make a fuss over it. "Please, Sans… I'll see you when I get home…" His sockets were completely dark, and Papyrus jumped in between them quickly, holding a hand up.

"HA! HAHA! VERY CLEVER, BROTHER OF MINE, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF YOUR WORK SO EASILY! A VERY IMPRESSIVE ATTEMPT, YOUR EFFORTS WERE VALIANT! I WILL TAKE THE HUMAN LENA TO WORK! FOR YOU! SO THAT YOU MAY GO TO WORK!" He quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her out the front door, just barely brushing past Sans as they made their way out. "MAKE SURE YOU PUT A LITTLE MORE _BACKBONE_ INTO YOUR WORK! NYEH HEH HEH!" He tugged on Lena's arm until they were down the stairs, standing on the sidewalk leading to the Queen's apartment building. A quick glance over her shoulder showed that Sans hadn't followed him, and she felt awful for the sigh of relief she felt escape her. "HOO BOY! THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE, NYEH HEH!" She glanced up to see Papyrus sending her a wide grin, and despite the relief, she didn't feel quite as comforted by it as she would have liked. Still, she smiled back up at him, nodding. "AH, THAT'S RIGHT. YOUR CAR IS…NO LONGER HERE. HER MAJESTY SAID THAT SHE WOULD TAKE YOU." As if her mention had summoned her, they walked around the corner just in time to see Frisk and Toriel emerging from their apartment.

"Oh, Lena! Good morning, my dear!" The regal monster stepped forward, but was intercepted by the child as they ran forward, throwing their arms around Lena's waist. The woman staggered backward slightly, eyes widened until she was able to process what had just happened. Giving a small chuckle, she pat Frisk on the head, ruffling their brown bob slightly as they all but nuzzled into her stomach. When they looked up at her finally, their cocoa-colored eyes were wide with obvious concern, signing with one hand a bunch of half-questions that she couldn't understand. Giving her brightest smile she could muster, she gently pulled them off of her, resting her hand atop their head.

"I'm fine, Frisk, don't worry." They didn't look convinced in the slightest, but something made them drop the subject, for which she was grateful. A heavy paw landed on her shoulder and she glanced up to see Toriel giving her a smile that, she supposed, was probably meant to be reassuring. "Ready to go?" She nodded and, turning to Papyrus, Lena gave him a small smile and wave. "See you later, Pappy. Thanks again for making my lunch."

"NYEH, IT WAS NOTHING THE GREAT PAPYRUS COULDN'T HANDLE! MAY IT NOURISH YOU WELL AND CARRY YOU THROUGH YOUR DAY!" He leaned down and clanked his teeth against her forehead, releasing a loud "MWAH" just as he pulled away, and Frisk was giggling breathlessly at the display. They made grabby hands toward the towering skeleton and, when they got his attention, pointed to their own head. "AH, YOU WISH FOR A PLATONIC GOODBYE KISS AS WELL? VERY WELL, THEN! MWAH!" Toriel chuckled at the little exchange and, after a few more proper goodbyes (and Frisk demanded a few more Papyrus-brand Farewell Kisses), they were climbing into Toriel's little white Sedan and headed toward the school.

"Ah, my child, were you still wanting to stop by Mrs. Bun-Bun's store for breakfast?" The child nodded eagerly, hair flying in the energeticness of the motion, and their mother giggled. "Very well, then. I figured you would!" She pulled into the parking lot of the familiar small store and unclipped her belt, opening the door to pause just outside. "Lena, my dear, what would you like?"

"Um, I actually already ate…so don't worry about getting me anything," Lena lied, feeling a small bit of guilt from the slightly disappointed look that flashed across the ex-Queen's expression. She asked if Lena was certain and, when she nodded, she was left with Frisk in the car with the engine running. The child immediately launched themselves forward and turned on the radio to a station that was playing some catchy pop-music. Turning around slightly in her seat, Lena glanced at the child who, of course, had a mischievous expression on their face. "I don't think your mom listens to this station normally." They shrugged as if they didn't know, but their smile pulled even wider. Chuckling, she turned back around in her seat, just in time for Toriel to emerge from the store with a bag in hand. She stopped short just outside the car, giving the occupant of the back seat a look. Frisk's breathless giggles filled the cabin, though they quickly fell silent once the door actually opened. The bag was passed back to Frisk, who immediately tore into it, cinnamon bunny devoured in seconds. Toriel changed the radio station then, to one playing some gentle, classical music.

Frisk, in the back seat, pouted, cheeks stuffed full of cinnamon bunny, and Lena could just tell that the mother was trying so hard not to laugh. After swallowing the ridiculously large mouthful of food, Frisk leaned back up between the front seats again, pressing a button and changing the station again. Toriel, without missing a beat, immediately changed it back. This went on, back and forth, for the majority of the ride to the school. About a block from the building Toriel sighed, head tilting slightly to one side as she gave a small smile to the rearview mirror. "Very well, my child, you win this round." Frisk's arms shot up in the victory formation, fistpumping as they settled back and drank the rest of their small bottle of milk.

Lena watched the mother and child with a small smile on her face. It really was difficult to be in a bad mood around these two, it seemed. Something about them was so loving, so genuine, and watching someone as regal as Toriel deal with someone as sassy as Frisk was…well, comical. Almost as comical as dealing with Sans and Papyrus.

The thought of the shorter skeleton brought her mood plummeting, the smile slowly becoming less genuine as she focused her attention out the window. Something about watching the scenery pass by always made her problems feel so much smaller but, this time, it didn't seem to help much. _'What am I going to do about him…? Things can't keep going like this. They can't…'_ Giving a small, silent sigh, she leaned against the cool glass, feeling her eyes slip closed. She was tired. So, so tired. Despite sleeping with Sans, which was normally so comforting, she didn't feel like she got a very restful sleep. The thought of returning home was already daunting, and she hadn't even made it to work yet. …But what was she supposed to do? Was this just how things were going to be, now that she'd been marked?

She could still feel the faint sting of her sensitive skin, could remember the harsh stench of the ink as it was splashed on her. It was a sign, and one that wouldn't be washed away so easily. Her only hope was to keep it hidden while she was out, and…and what? Just stay hidden forever? Stay with Sans locked up in the apartment forever? That wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to be with Sans…

…but not if it meant being imprisoned.

When Toriel dropped them off she'd reached out and grabbed Lena's hand, giving it a small squeeze and an encouraging smile, and she…didn't know how to take it. "Have a good day, my child! And you, as well, my dear friend!" She stood with Frisk and waved the white sedan off until it was out of sight, letting her hand lower slightly as she continued to stare off into space where she'd disappeared. A sharp tug to her other hand brought her attention back and she glanced down at Frisk, giving a small questioning hum.

" _Can I walk you to class?"_ they asked, holding a hand out, and Lena couldn't help but give a little smile as she took it, relenting with a nod. It was worth it if she got to see the child's face light up with that bright of a smile. They led her bravely through the halls, their chest puffed out and face determined, and it was such a silly thing, but she felt protected. She particularly appreciated the way they didn't grip her hand tightly like...no, she wasn't going to think about that here. A smalls hake of her head to clear her thoughts, and Lena gave Frisk's hand a small squeeze, pausing just outside the teacher's workroom. They looked up through their bangs with a curious frown.

"Sorry, kiddo, but I've gotta print off some papers before class. I forgot to do it Friday…" Chuckling, she pulled her hand from Frisk's, gesturing down the hall where her classroom resided. "You go ahead and I'll catch up, okay?" They seemed to ponder this but, after only a second, nodded, taking off down the hallway. "No running!" she called out, smiling as they seemed to slam on the breaks, shoes squeaking as they skid across the tile so they could walk more slowly. _'Thanks, Frisk.'_ Sighing slightly, she pushed the door open to the workroom, startled as a rather large bear was suddenly right in front of her.

"Lordy, I'm awful sorry 'bout that, Miss Lena!" he drawled out apologetically, paws immediately reaching out to rest on her shoulders, and she would have wondered why on earth he was so sorry if it weren't for the look he gave her. His muzzle was curved into a piteous smile that left her feeling a little chilled. "Gotta be careful, y'know. Don't want nothin' bad happ'nin' to our favorite human teacher!" Lena gave an uneasy smile and nodded, side-stepping the bear and heading toward the copy machine.

"It's no problem, really." She immediately set to work printing off the copies of the worksheets she was needing, all the while trying to ignore the feeling of eyes on her back. It had started out as only one pair, but then, the closer it came to class time, more teachers filed in to grab some last-minute things, and she could feel all of them staring at her. _'Maybe I'm just being paranoid…'_ she insisted to herself, but, when she turned her head slightly, she could see them staring at her from the corner of her eye. All of them, every single one, had that same, pitying expression. A few of them approached to talk to her, asking her how she was doing, or what she planned on doing that evening, all simple things.

But she couldn't get it out of her head that they were talking like she had a terminal sickness, that she was already as good as dead.

That thought sent a cold chill down her spine, and she was grateful when all the other teachers filed out of the room to head to their respective classrooms. She was grateful because there was a single moment where she understood the exact gravity of the situation she found herself in and, for that moment, she felt like she was going to cry. But, just as she had all morning, she pushed that aside, gathering up the stack of papers, still warm from the copy machine, and strode out of the room and down the hall to her own classroom. In the pocket of her black dress pants she felt her phone vibrate, the soft buzzing sound breaking her stride for only a second as she paused to pull it from its confines.

| **Sans** : you make it to work okay? |

Breathing out a small sigh, she allowed her thumb to tap lightly across the on-screen keyboard just before shoving the device back into her pocket.

| **Lena** : Yes. Class is about to start, so I'll talk to you later. Love you. |

Because, even if he was starting to make her feel less like a person to be loved and more like an object to be defended, she did still love him, with all of her heart and soul. Even if she wasn't exactly happy with the way things were right now, she still wanted to make sure that he knew that. Even if she didn't want to reply at all, she still wanted to make sure that the last thing she said to him was that she loved him.

Startled, she pulled herself violently from her thoughts, finding herself standing right outside her classroom door. Her hand hovered over the doorknob as her mind began to wade back into the dark waters she'd just run from, brows furrowing as she chewed restlessly on her bottom lip. Why had she been so worried about that being the last thing she said to him? It wasn't like she was going to die…she wasn't. A little ink didn't mean that she was as good as dead. So what if everyone they'd seen on the news as having been attacked the same way she was ended up dead? That didn't mean that she was going to die. …Unless, she was. Why else would Sans be so worried about her leaving the apartment? Why else would he be so adamant about making sure that she was within his sights, where she was safe? He wanted her to stay home because he didn't want her to die. _She left against his better judgement, and now she was—_

The first bell gave out its shrill cry through the empty halls and Lena flinched, whipping her head around to check her surroundings. She was standing in the hallway outside of her classroom, alone. She wasn't going to die. She _wasn't._ Taking a slow, deep breath in, she allowed her hand to fully rest on the doorknob, her lips curving up into a smile before twisting it open and stepping inside. Her students were already sitting at their desks, and she saw Frisk only now settling into theirs. In the back of the room, Ven was scowling at her, and despite the damper it put on things, she only smiled harder.

"Good morning, class!" she called out, voice light with a cheerfulness she didn't quite feel. She pulled at her ponytail situated oddly on the side of her head, making sure that it was covering her neck. "Today's going to be a pretty easy day." She set the stack of papers on her desk and stood at the front of the room, hands clasped in front of her. "Your instructions are to read over Chapter 12 in your text books until lunch." There was a murmur of noise from the group of children and she felt her brows furrow, feeling the slightest bit selfish for making an easy day for herself. "I know, I know. I promise, I'll make up for such a boring day today. But for now, I'm afraid I'll need you all to be patient." Pausing for a moment, she smiled a bit wider, "If you can finish reading the chapter before lunch then I'll see about us getting a special something as a treat on Friday!" It was bribery, pure and simple, but it had the desired result. Most of the class began to eagerly pull out their text books to begin, and she felt a small bit of relief that there weren't any arguments. She moved to turn to her desk but caught Frisk staring at her, and something looked so much older in the way that their eyes narrowed knowingly, and she felt her expression slip, just a little, before she waved them on and went to sit at her desk.

The sound of pages turning in text books and the soft murmur of conversation was almost soothing, something like white noise, and Lena found herself flipping idly through her planner as she just zoned out. She tried not to think about things too much, but, alas, it was inevitable. She was thankful for the little interruptions from her thoughts in the form of questions from her students. One or two would pad up to her desk, textbook in hand, and her smile felt a bit more genuine when they reached an understanding, smiling at her and thanking her. The buzzing in her pocket had continued and, after a few minutes of it, she pulled her phone from her pocket to check it.

| **Sans** : cool. hope you have an easy day. |  
| **Sans** : lemme know if ven gives you any trouble. |

| **Sans** : send that brat to the office and they'll call kupa. |

| **Sans** : or you can just text him and have him stop by. do you have his number? |

With a small glance up at her class to check and make sure they were occupied, she allowed herself to reply, though she made sure to keep her phone underneath her desk. She felt guilty for it, like she were back in class herself, afraid of getting caught with it.

| **Lena** : I don't, but Ven is being very well behaved today, so I don't think it'll be necessary… I'll be sure to keep that in mind, though. |

Her phone immediately vibrated in her palm with a response.

| **Sans** : still, don't trust him. he's always been troublesome. |  
| **Sans** : keep your eyes open, okay? and make sure you're not alone for too long. |

| **Sans** : asked the kid to keep an eye on you for me. |

| **Lena** : I don't need to be watched, Sans. I'm fine. |

| **Sans** : i know that. just wanna make sure. |

| **Lena** : I am. You don't need to worry.|

| **Lena** : It's during class hours, so I'm putting my phone up. I'll talk to you later, okay? Love you. |

She shut off her phone's screen and stowed it away in her purse, moving the bag to set it on the floor behind her desk. The faint buzzing sound was already coming from it again, and she sighed, trying to resist the small amount of irritation that welled up within her.

It was going to be a long day…

* * *

"Um, excuse me…" Sans looked up from his phone, his smile wilting a bit as he saw the human he'd just served, already coming back up to him for something. "I, um… Well, I seem to have gotten the wrong flavor ice cream…" He blinked his eyesockets tiredly at the human customer, who fidgeted nervously and brushed a corkscrew of black hair behind her ear. "It's, um… I-I'm allergic to nuts…"

"Again?" A blue-furred rabbit monster stepped in from the back, immediately taking the small cup of ice cream and tossing it in the trash. Sans sent the human a sheepish smile. The human insisted it was no big deal, but Nice insisted that she take the refund he offered her, as well as getting her a larger size of the ice cream she'd actually ordered. She was extremely apologetic, ducking her head and giving a little bow. As soon as she left and the shop was empty, the rabbit turned on Sans, his arms crossed over his chest. "Sans, honestly. That ice cream could have made her sick!" He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "…I don't know what your deal is today, but please, be a bit more careful." Sans shrugged his shoulders, hands shoving deeply into his pockets.

"Hey, at least she was pretty _chill_ about it, right?" The look the rabbit gave him told him loud and clear that he wasn't in the mood for joking around and, with a huff, Sans forced a wide grin onto his face. "Yeah, boss, I'll be more careful. Sorry." Nice left to the back again to continue the inventory he'd started, leaving Sans alone again. The instant the other was gone, he pulled his phone from his pocket. When the screen proclaimed no messages, he frowned. Why hadn't Lena replied yet…? Glancing up at the clock, he saw that it was just past noon. _'She should be on her lunch break right now. There's no reason why she shouldn't have answered…'_ A small part of his mind tried to tell himself that he was being unreasonable, but he silenced it as he dialed her phone number, holding his phone up to his skull where his ear would've been if he had one. The droning ring seemed to carry on forever until, finally, there was a small click as the line opened up. There was a small shuffling sound and he could hear Lena speaking to someone, and though he swore he knew the voice, he couldn't quite place who it was.

"Hello?" Her voice was tired, and he felt guilty for a moment as he realized she was probably having lunch with her coworkers and he'd just interrupted.

"Hey, babe. You didn't answer my texts. What's up?" The sound of shuffling papers and a rhythmic tapping sound, like a pen being drummed against her desk.

"Oh, sorry," she said distractedly. "I was talking to one of the other teachers. They came in and said that there's a faculty meeting tonight." He frowned slightly, already sensing where the conversation would be headed.

"Ah, that's cool. …So are you up for a TV night? I've been meanin' to start watching this show called Star Trek. Thought you might wanna watch it with me." There was a small hum from the other end and, after a few seconds, she sighed.

"No, Sans, I can't tonight." Figures.

"Why not? I was kinda lookin' forward to doin' this," he said simply, pressing, and he heard her give another sigh.

"…I know that, but I have to stay late tonight."

"You know I don't like the thought of you bein' away from home that long right now… Do you not remember what happened Saturday?" He heard her give a huff of irritation and he clenched his phone more tightly in his hand.

"Look, I know that—"

"Do you? Because it doesn't seem like you do."

"…No, really, I do," she insisted, her voice strained as more shuffling sounds came from the receiver. "But I need to get all these papers graded, and there's an after-school faculty meeting."

His frown deepened and he swiveled on his stool until he was facing away from the front of shop. The last thing he needed was to get nagged for scaring off customers, too. "What, is it mandatory or somethin'?"

"Yes, it's mandatory."

"What's so important that you've gotta put yourself at extra risk? Can't a coworker take notes for you?"

"…Look, I have to go. Lunch hour is just about up, and—"

"No big deal. I'll talk to you after my shift. I'll come and keep you company during the meeting." There was another, longer sigh, and she sounded so, so tired, so unlike herself that his soul tugged within his chest.

"Sans, please… I'll call you when it's done, okay?" He fell silent, feeling frustration building up within his bones as he stubbornly tried to think of what to say to make her change her mind. Giving a heavy sigh that sounded the slightest bits like a growl, he closed his eyesockets.

"…Fine." He knew that he shouldn't have. He knew that it was childish…but he hung up the phone right there, shoving it deeply into his pocket. Why the hell couldn't she just do what he wanted? Why was she fighting so hard against him trying to protect her? _'She doesn't understand,'_ he thought, swiveling back around to find a room full of customers, some looking very impatient. Nice came out from the back and, seeing the group of unserved customers, sighed.

"Sans, how about you go ahead and take the rest of the day off?" the bunny asked, but it was less a question than a demand. Sans was being dismissed from work. Feeling even more frustrated, he gave his biggest, best grin to his boss and shrugged.

"Sure thing. I love havin' nothin' to do." With that, he stepped off of his stool and strode into the back, leaving through the back door. He found himself just outside the alleyway he'd had so much trouble in before, and a cold shudder wracked its way down his spine as he looked at the stained concrete. They'd tried to get all of the human's blood off, but a reminder still remained. He walked past it quickly, eyes focused pointedly on the sidewalk. He released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding once his slippers touched it, and a small part of himself felt allowed to relax. _'What am I supposed to do now…?'_ Frowning slightly, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. There was still plenty of time before she'd be off work…and he'd said that he would wait for her at home.

…But he hadn't _promised_ that he would.

Shoving his phone and his hands deep within his coat pockets, he started his trek toward the school, slippers scuffing across the sidewalk with purpose. He felt bad for going against her wishes so clearly, especially going against his own word…but it was like he'd always said. He didn't make promises, simply because he knew that he'd eventually have to break them, and this situation was exactly why he didn't promise. She just didn't understand the severity of the situation…that's why she was being difficult. She didn't understand that he knew what was best. _'It's for her own good…'_ With a sigh, he glanced up at the sky, watching as clouds began to congregate around the sun, attempting to block out its rays. He could feel the increase in pressure within his skull, a sure sign that it was going to rain. Maybe he could use the impending rain as an excuse for why he went to pick her up.

"I see that great minds think alike!" The familiar voice startled him from his musings and he leveled his gaze back to ground-level, seeing Toriel sitting on the bench just outside the school's gated entrance. He sent her a grin, rolling his shoulders as he pulled one hand from his pockets to gesture vaguely toward the building.

"Yeah, thought I'd pick Lena up." The matronly monster raised a brow at this, turning to glance down at her watch.

"…A full four hours early?" He shrugged his shoulders, glancing at the bench when she reached out to pat the spot just next to her and, with another shrug, he moved to sit next to her. "This is fortunate timing, because I was wanting to discuss something with you, anyway…" She trailed off slightly, raising a paw to tap against her chin thoughtfully. "How to put this… Well, your brother has spoken to me." Sans' smile fell slightly, and she was quick to continue. "Sans, you are my best friend. You know this, yes? You know that, as a friend, it is my purpose to support you…" She reached her paw out to rest against his hand, squeezing it slightly. "But it is also my purpose to show you when you have gone astray, and when you are not being true to yourself."

"Whaddaya talkin' about, Tor? I'm afraid I'm a bit of a _bonehead_. You gotta be a little less cryptic." She didn't laugh at his obvious pun, instead letting out a soft sigh, her hand squeezing his just a bit tighter.

"Sans… Have you honestly learned nothing?" The skeleton tensed, his eyesockets narrowing slightly. "I am disappointed, my friend… I thought that you would have learned better by now." He pulled his hand away from hers, raising it to scratch at the back of his skull.

"I'm doin' what I have to in order to keep her safe." There was a small pause, and he considered getting up, walking off, but the way she shifted in her seat until she was facing him made him stay put.

"…Do you wish to own her, Sans?" Startled, he turned to look at her, browbones furrowed.

"Wha..? No, of course not."

"Do you see her as a possession, a trinket, or some sort of prize to be held?" Her tone was level, but her eyes were burning with a fire he wasn't used to seeing.

"No, of course I don't!"

"Well, then, why are you treating her like one?" He grit his teeth, ignoring the dull ache it sent through his skull as he struggled to find the words. "You are not alone responsible for her safety and wellbeing. She is an adult, and she is her own person, and the way you've been treating her has been less of a lover and more as an owner."

"Back off, Tor. Y' don't know what you're talkin' about…" His soul ached within his chest, but his anger was enough to make him ignore it, jerking himself away from his friend as she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. She withdrew her hand with a heavy sigh.

"You may not like what I am saying, but I am only saying it because you are acting a fool. Your intentions are good, Sans, but your actions are having the opposite effect…" Her paws clasped together in her lap and, though he was refusing to look at her, he could tell from the corner of his sockets that she was watching him. "Ask yourself this: are the things you're doing acts of love?" He'd had enough. His slippers scuffed loudly across the concrete as he turned on his heel, cutting open a doorway. "If you care for her, Sans, then you will listen to what her soul wants. Being selfish is only going to hurt the both of you—" The doorway closed with a snapping finality behind him as he stepped into the living room of their apartment, releasing a hiss of air from between his teeth.

He was at a loss, his mind split in two, both sides arguing against the other over which was right and wh ich was wrong. On one side, it demanded control. He couldn't be sure what would happen if he weren't there. He hated feeling out of control, which is what he'd been feeling a lot of over the past few days, and…it was driving him a little crazy, he had to admit to himself. Having no power over a situation was something he feared simply because of the element of unknown. The other side, however, was just as disappointed in his behavior as Toriel was. He remembered telling Lena how he would talk to her, not keep things to himself, and yet here he was, doing exactly that. Keeping her in the dark under the ruse of it being 'for her own good.' Was having her come to hate him worth her safety? _'Yes,'_ his mind supplied readily, but the answer also made a small part of his soul ache in response. Everything in his skull was spinning around at a sickeningly fast pace and he just…wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. What was the 'right' thing to do?

As time slowly dragged on, he began to feel restlessness buzzing within his bones, and he bounced his leg in an attempt to burn some of the nervous energy. It didn't help. Groaning, he got to his feet with a small huff and made his way for the kitchen, immediately pulling down mixing bowls and bags of flour, sugar, bottles of vanilla, and a mass of other ingredients. It wasn't what he'd consider a 'hobby' per se, but working with his hands always made him think better, so, for lack of a workshop or anything scientific to work on, he took to the kitchen. He mixed up batches upon batches of chocolate chip cookies, a full pan of brownies, and enough pans of quiche to feed a small army. He wiped the flour from his hands onto his already messy t-shirt and glanced at the clock on the oven, sighing heavily when he noted that there was still at least forty-five minutes until Lena was supposed to be home. _'And she's staying late, too…dammit.'_ He threw the bowls a little too roughly into the sink, filling it with soapy water and scrubbing at the sticky, doughy mess until it was clean. _'If anyone came in and saw me doing dishes, they'd think that hell was freezing over…heh.'_ He allowed himself a tired chuckle as he put the now clean dishes onto a bath towel folded up on the counter to dry, wiping his hands dry on his pants. He felt the edge of his phone through his pocket and felt the overwhelming urge to pull it out and send her a text, to ask how she was doing…but he pushed past it.

He collapsed onto the couch in a heap of bones and gave a weary sigh, picking up the remote and idly flipping through channels to keep himself busy. He'd glance up every few minutes to see what time it was, only to feel disappointed when time seemed to be flowing at its usual pace. After about a half an hour of this he settled on an old comedy skit program, tossing the remote onto the coffee table and laying his skull back on the couch. She was gone anyway. Maybe a nap would be in order.

* * *

It was just one of those days.

It was only after the faculty meeting that Lena realized that, with Frisk having already been picked up, she had no way home. The more rational side of her brain told her loud and clear that she should just call Sans. He could pop over through one of his 'shortcuts' and take her home the very same way, taking literally a number of seconds. That side of her brain, however, was quickly drowned out by the other side, which was emotional, irritated, and tired…so, so tired. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she felt this exhausted. It was an exhaustion that reached deep into her very core, that spread out through her entire body, leaving her feeling numb and empty.

' _I'm going to bed as soon as I get home…right after a shower.'_ She breathed out a small sigh as she glanced up at the sky which, right around lunchtime, had quickly become overcome with dark clouds. The once blue sky was now a haggard grey, the sun hidden behind the thick blanket without a trace. She could already feel a few stray drops of water falling from above, and she'd wished she had thought to check the forcast so she could've at least brought an umbrella. A distant roll of thunder made her shiver, and she managed to duck under the small cover of a bus stop just in time for the torrential rain to begin. It pounded the pavement without mercy, the sound of each drop splattering upon impact drowning out all other sounds. It was here, in a very public place, out in the open, that she felt the most alone and at peace that she had in a while.

Leaning her head back until it rested against the wall of the small shelter, she allowed her eyes to slip closed, allowing a small, soundless sigh to slip past her chapped and bitten lips. On the opposite side of the road she saw a few monsters walking on the sidewalk, and, occasionally, a car would drive past, but her little corner of the world was totally isolated otherwise. It felt…nice. _'I almost don't want to go home…'_ An immediate sense of guilt washed over her at the thought. She pulled her phone from her purse and checked it to find that, again, she had no messages waiting for her. While part of her wanted to feel relieved, she couldn't help but wonder what would be waiting for her when she got home. _'Maybe he's gotten the message…yeah. He'll back off a little bit, stop being so worried, and he'll come back the way he was…'_ She thought it a little ridiculous to think about missing someone who has literally been attached at the hip to her for the past forty-eight hours…but she did. She missed Sans. She missed feeling the comfortable affection that he gave or, even more rarely, the flustered attention. She missed a lot of things.

Feeling safe in her own apartment was one of them.

Not that he would ever hurt her. She knew better than to think that. (The memory of when he'd had that really bad nightmare came to mind, but she stubbornly shoved it away. That didn't count.) However, something about having someone act like danger was around every corner had a way of making someone feel less comfortable.

She stood under that bus stop hangover, waiting for the rain to lessen; but, after fifteen minutes and the downpour only proving to worsen, she realized that she had two options: she could call Sans and get home the quickest way, or she could walk home, spending twenty minutes getting soaked. She wasn't sure whether it was her stubbornness, or something else deep within her soul that resounded so soundly with her decision.

She stepped out from under the overhang and walked through the rain, holding her purse protectively against her chest in a vain attempt of keeping her phone from getting wet.

Her footsteps sounded heavier than usual as she tromped up the stairs to her apartment door. She reached into her purse and pulled out her keys, fumbling for a moment as she tried to find the right one. She was so distracted that she had to go through them three times before she finally found the right one, only to realize it wasn't necessary because the door was unlocked. A breath of a curse hissed past her lips and she shoved the door open, stepping inside with a shiver. Her clothes were soaked completely through, the feel of her turtleneck constricting around her neck causing a level of discomfort that didn't fit her.

"Geez, what the hell happened to you?" Sans voice came from the couch, obviously concerned, and she glanced over to find him frowning. "Thought you were gonna call me when you got out…" She hadn't forgotten about saying that, though now she felt guilty for not doing what she said she would. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she sent him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"S-sorry, I forgot." Her voice trembled as she shivered, and she really just wanted to go take a shower and change into something warm. Dropping her purse on the kitchen table, she slid off her shoes and started a brisk walk towards her bedroom.

"What's up?" She felt her body tense and she faltered mid-step, turning to glance over his shoulder. Sans was already getting up, hands shoved into his pockets and browbones raised.

"Ah…I was just gonna take a quick shower. Try to warm up…" she trailed off slightly, turning into her bedroom and pulling her soaking wet turtleneck up over her head, giving a small sigh of relief as it finally came off. The slight choking sensation was gone now, and she felt herself relax a bit. Behind her Sans gave a small, thoughtful hum.

"Cool, sounds good. I could go for a shower, too."

Her heart fell slightly, the irritation she'd felt building all day trying to show itself, but she stamped it back down firmly. "Actually…I wanted to take a shower alone." The skeleton made a small, questioning noise, and she kept her back to him, not wanting to acknowledge it. She hoped with all of her might that he would just let her have this…but, of course, that would be too easy.

"What's the deal? You've never had a problem with us showering together before." It was true. There were several occasions where, after they had been…'intimate'… Sans carried her to a shower or a bath. _'What if it would be like that again?'_ Reminders of tense holds and controlling behavior brought that thought to an end, though, and she released a slow breath.

"I know, but…I just would like to spend some time alone, that's all." She glanced over her shoulder and saw a look on his face that could only be described as 'hurt', though it quickly morphed into annoyance.

"Why? What, are you mad at me or somethin'?"

"…No, I'm not..mad," she fumbled slightly, not wanting to lie but not exactly looking forward to telling the truth, either. That would surely lead to a fight which, honestly, was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now. He frowned, browbones furrowing.

"So, what? Spit it out. What'd I do?" When she remained silent he huffed a bitter laugh, walking around her with his arms crossed firmly over his chest. "Well? C'mon, tell me how I'm fucking up this time!" She flinched back slightly, eyes widening at the suddenness of his change in attitude. Where the hell was this coming from? She hadn't said anything!

"Look, I just wanted to take a shower by myself. What's so wrong with that?"

"And I just wanna stay with you so I can make sure you're okay. What's wrong with _that_?"

"I'm able to shower safely by myself, Sans. I'm an adult, I can take care of myself—"

"No, you can't," he bit out, thrusting a bony index finger out to point at her ink-stained shoulder. She flinched back again, not liking the heavy feeling welling up within her chest. "That wouldn't've happened if you were able to take care of yourself." She frowned, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

"That was outside of my control and you know it. …Why are you being like this?"

"I'm tired of being told how to do my job!"

"Your 'job?' What job? Taking care of me isn't your job."

"Yes, it is! I—"

"Your 'job' is to love and support me, Sans, and you… y-you haven't been doing a very good job of that these past couple days!"

"Oh, bullshit!" He reached out and grabbed her wrist, keeping her from turning around and leaving. She pulled weakly against his hold, but he refused to let go, growling low in the throat he didn't have. "I'm only doing this because I love you! I don't want you to end up dead, but you and everyone else seems to think that I should just let out go wander out into danger!"

"You can't prevent every little thing! You're not keeping me safe, you're—" She paused, tugging again on her wrist, her brows furrowed in a disconcertingly worried expression. "You're hurting me!"

"I can't watch the people I love get killed again, okay?! I can't! I've watched it for too fucking long, and I'm not doing it anymore!"

"Sans—"

"I'm gonna do what I have to in order to keep you safe, even if it makes you fucking hate me!"

"Sans!" Lena cried, the grip on her arm so hard that she felt like it was going to bruise. Sans' sockets widened and he drew his hand back as if he'd been burned, his face surprised as he looked up to meet teary green eyes. She felt…afraid. This forcefulness, this possessiveness…it wasn't Sans, and she didn't like it. They stood there silent for a few long moments, simply staring at one another. They could hear the thumping footsteps of Papyrus approaching, and it was that that seemed to break Sans from his trance. He scowled and stormed out of the bedroom, grabbing his coat off of the sofa in the living room before stepping through a doorway and disappearing. Lena stared at the spot he'd just disappeared from, chest aching and head throbbing. She barely recognized the sound of the front door opening.

"HUMAN, BROTHER, I AM HOME! I HOPE YOU ARE READY FOR—" Papyrus' voice cut off suddenly and, when she finally tore her eyes away from the spot of carpet Sans had been standing on, she was met with softly glowing orange sockets. "Lena…?" She flinched when he grabbed the wrist Sans had been holding—the one that she was now holding protectively with her other hand—and brought it close to his face to inspect it. Something passed over his expression, but it was gone too quickly for her to recognize. "What has happened? Are you alright? Where is Sans—" His name brought a fresh wave of tears, her shoulders trembling as she tried to withhold her crying and failed. Papyrus immediately pulled her in for a bony hug, gloved hands rubbing circles on her back, and she wanted to just relax and lean into it, but she couldn't. She pushed away from the towering skeleton and tore the front door open, ignoring his cries of her name as she ran, barefoot and in nothing but a tank top and her work pants, out into the rain. "LENA! PLEASE, WAIT!" Choking back a quiet sob, she pulled her phone from her pocket and opened a new text message.

| **Lena** : Can you come get me? |

Her phone buzzed only seconds after, and it brought a teary smile to her face.

| **Brit** : What'd the bonehead do this time? |

| **Brit** : I'm omw now. Gimme ten. |

| **Lena** : Thank you. |

She returned the device to her pocket and finally stopped, looking around her to see a set of apartment buildings that she didn't recognize right away. She'd been so upset that she'd just kept walking. A quick glance around told her that Papyrus hadn't followed her, which she was grateful for. _'I don't want him to have to deal with me like this…'_ She started looking around for a dry place to wait for her friend, but as soon as she turned around, everything went dark.

The last thing she saw was a flash of something too red and, then, nothingness.

* * *

She was disgusting, They thought to themselves. Too big, too heavy. They wished she were smaller so it wouldn't be so difficult to move her. They worked quickly, grabbing hold of her already bruised wrist and jerking on it hard, listening to a loud pop come from what must've been her shoulder, and They smirked cruelly. It was her own fault for being so heavy, They surmised. The faint scratching sound of the pavement against her clothes was the only sound that managed to persist through the rain. They dragged her until they found a large black van, knocking on the back door. Another human opened it, glancing down to see who was joining them and grinning.

"Nice tits on this one. Can I play with her a bit before you have your fun, boss?" They narrowed their eyes at him, and the man immediately ducked his head back into the van, mumbling an apology. They hefted her up onto their shoulder and tossed her in, immediately following and slamming the door closed behind them.

"Drive." The human behind the wheel gave a single nod, and soon they were pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road. "So you're Lena…" They reached a gloved hand out and brushed aside a few stray strands of hair that had gotten stuck to her rain-slicked forehead. There was a rather angry-looking bump just above her right temple where they'd been sure to strike her, hard enough for her to lose consciousness. _'Maybe she'll bleed in her brain~'_ they thought excitedly, a sharp grin pulling up at the corners of their mouth. "No, no, I need you alive. After all, someone has to kill that smiley trashbag…" There was very little response from the other conscious people in the van, as few as there were. Five women were tied up, breathable bags secured over their heads. Three men shared the same fate, all of them with their hands bound in front of them. A few of the ropes may have been tied too tight, but They didn't care.

No, They didn't care about any of these pathetic creatures. They were just wearing the mask that was fit for the situation, the one that benefitted Them best.

Drawing out Their own soul, They used it to pull on the unconscious human's soul until it revealed itself. The shades of green were sickening, so pure and bright, even with all of the turmoil going on within their soul. Their lips pulled back into a disgusted sneer. _'Such a disgusting amount of Kindness… I can change that.'_ Slowly, They reached a hand out, the black heart floating out toward the green one. Little tendrils of darkness reached out for it, just barely brushing its surface…

…only for it to be rejected. A faint, transparent green shell formed around the verdant soul, blocking the tendrils of inky darkness and sending it sputtering backwards. They hissed, eyes narrowing as they pulled Their soul back into their body. Watching as Lena's also faded back into her chest, Their eyes gained a murderous glint. A soft buzzing sound came from her pocket, and they weren't bothered in the least to reach in and pull out her phone. "Well, well… what have we here~?" Smile widening into something inhuman, they tapped around, digging through her apps and pages until, finally, reading through her text messages. They hummed delightedly, fingers tapping roughly across the glass touchscreen and hitting send. A gleeful giggle pulled from Their lips, eyes closing in absolute mirth. "This should be a rather fun game, I think!" The phone was stashed into their jacket pocket, holding it protectively against their chest, and their hand lowered to finger the hilt of the knife held at their belt.

A boom of thunder rattled out, a flash of lightning illuminating the sky, and Chara's smile grew to the sharpness of their knife. _'I'll have fun tearing this one apart.'_

* * *

The familiar neon sign proclaiming that he was standing in front of "Grillby's" came into view and Sans felt himself slacken, relieved. He'd be able to get a drink, and talking to Grillby was always comforting, somehow, despite how little the flame elemental actually spoke. He strode through the doors and was surprised by how few people were there. Aside from the table of dogs in the center of the bar, the place was empty. Well, them, and the fireman, of course. As he approached the bar he saw a tiny spider monster scurrying out of sight, and Grillby turned his back to him.

"Heya Grillbz, gimme a whiskey, no ice," Sans said, trying to make his tone light as he hopped up onto his usual stool. The elemental glanced over his shoulder at him but said nothing, continuing to polish the glasses he'd been in the middle of drying. Sans frowned slightly, quirking a brow in confusion. "Uh, Grillbz? Hey. What's up?" Still no answer and Sans chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "What, you givin' me the _cold shoulder_ or somethin'?" Grillby set down the glass he'd just finished drying and turned around…only to grab another one from the rack. Sans sighed heavily. "Look, I dunno what singed your ass today, but can you at least give me that drink?" The elemental looked down over the rims of his glasses at him, white spots of his eyes narrowing, but still said nothing. It was the insult to injury, and Sans wasn't in the mood for it. Growling, he got up and stormed over to the dog's table, snatching their bottle of ketchup and shuffling back to the bar with it. "Fine, be that way."

He sat at the bar, sipping on the ketchup angrily in silence, and even though he was being ignored, it felt like he was being put on trial. Then, after Grillby slammed a few too many glasses into the rack once he'd finished with them, Sans felt the frustration that had been building all afternoon bubble over.

"Y'know, it's like I can't fuckin' do anything right! Gotta be pissin' somebody off, gotta be fuckin' up somehow, right? Don't matter what the fuck my intentions are. I oughta just let everybody do whatever they want, let them get killed, yeah? Is that what the universe wants?!" He took a long swig of ketchup and slammed the bottle back onto the bar, ignoring it completely when it broke under his force. Ketchup oozed out between his fingers, and he was just reminded even more of what Papyrus and Toriel had said. "Fucking—I mean, what, I'm not allowed to try and protect people?! No, I gotta make everyone _happy_! Well guess what, can't make the whole world happy! Can't even fucking make _the person I love most_ happy!"

Slowly, he ran out of steam, and his ranting lost direction and purpose, and he found himself sitting and staring at the broken ketchup bottle, glaring. A flicker of light from in front of him drew his attention, and he found Grillby holding a glass of whiskey out to him. Sans drew in a slow breath and gave a weak grin, reaching out for the glass…only to have the alcohol dumped out, the liquid spilling between his fingers. He flinched back, shaking the whiskey off of his hand, sending the elemental a scowl.

"Grillby, what the fuck—"

" _I was told that you would be coming here tonight, Sans. I'm sure that you were hoping to drink away your problem and, as your bartender, it's my job to assist with that."_ The whites of his eyes narrowed and the flames atop his head flickered wildly, angrily _. "As your friend, though, it's my job to tell you that you're being a coward."_ Sans growled and moved to get up from his stool, but Grillby slammed his hand down on the bar, lighting the alcohol and sending a small flare of light directly between them. The skeleton flinched back, nearly falling off of his stool, his sockets widened in shock. _"You can't just hide every time something bad happens. You can't handle the world by yourself, Sans, however much you may wish to. Until you can learn to ask for help instead of being a goddamned coward, you are no longer welcome to drink at my bar."_

"Wh—What is it with all you people trying to tell me how to handle things?! You guys don't have any idea what I go through—"

" _No, we don't! Because you won't trust anyone other than yourself!"_ The entire bar fell deathly silent. The soft spoken bartender very rarely spoke aloud at all, much less raised his voice. It was rough, cracked from lack of use, but it was still strong enough to send Sans into silence _. "How do you expect your mate to be happy with you if you won't share who you are with her? How do you expect to maintain any sort of relationship at all if you refuse to let anyone in?"_ The fire elemental quieted for a moment, a small hissing sound coming from him as he sighed. _"You and your mate are supposed to be a_ _ **team**_ _. It isn't_ _ **you**_ _against the world. It's you and her,_ _ **together**_ _."_ Something in his voice seemed almost desperate, and Sans clenched his hand into a fist on top of the bar, eyesockets narrowing.

"…It's hard, Grillbz."

" _I never said it was easy."_

"I'm…I'm fuckin' scared. I'm terrified. The shit I'm tryin' to keep her safe from…it's not little stuff. It's big stuff. Bad stuff. The worst stuff—"

"— _And it would certainly be easier to keep her safe if she at least knew what she was being protected from, wouldn't it?"_ Sans sagged in his stool, sighing heavily.

"…It's not easy to change something after doin' it for so long." A crackling chuckle came from the flame monster and Sans looked up, catching the faintest hints of a smile on his friend's face.

" _Yes, I am aware. Having friends to remind you when you 'fuck up' helps."_ Giving a small, tired huff of laughter, Sans wiped his ketchup-covered hand on his pants.

"Yeah… Man, I don't know how you guys put up with me." Grillby shrugged his shoulders the slightest bit, grabbing a rag to start cleaning the bartop.

" _It has been made easier since Lena has come along, I will admit."_ Snorting back a laugh, Sans gave him a wry grin, mumbling a 'gee, thanks' as the fire elemental chuckled good-naturedly. A buzzing from his pocket caught his attention, though, and Sans was quick to pull his phone from his pocket. " **1 Text Message From: Lena** " He felt his soul flutter in his chest, smiling as he eagerly opened up the message. He had so many things he wanted to say, and, this time, he had other people on his ass enough for it that he'd definitely be doing it. No brushing things aside, no putting it off. He was going to get all the people he loved together and tell them about—

| **Lena** : =) |

"… _Chara_."

* * *

 **[[ Ahhhhhh I already apologized but I'll do it again. I'm sorry/not sorry. ;w; Hope you all enjoyed it. PLEASE, leave me a review telling me what you think! What will happen to Lena? What on earth is going on? Will Sans EVER learn his lesson? WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE? All those questions, and more, will most likely be answered with the next chapter. Thank you all so much for leaving! Feel free to go leave me an ask or chat with me on Tumblr! Love you guys! 333 ]]**


	41. Chapter 41

**[[ Thanks so much for being so patient waiting for this chapter. I've decided to break it up a little more, take a little more time to focus on some smaller aspects, really flesh things out. I hope it's been worth the wait. I love each and every one of you and adore the comments you leave me! Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

The feeling one gets when they lean back too far in their chair, or they take that dreaded 'phantom step', and their chest lurches and they have a millisecond of blind fear... That's what Sans feels building up within his bones, only it doesn't just last for a second. No, it carries and spreads, and despite the fact that he's done nothing but sit on his bar stool and stare at his phone, his body feels heavy and he feels exhausted.

' _I fucked up.'_ The plastic creaks and the glass begins to crack under the pressure of his grip, and he doesn't realize he's breaking his phone until he feels incredibly warm hands pulling at him, trying to get him to release the device. He looks up to find Grillby looking him over worriedly, flames flickering just a little bit brighter around his eyes, and Sans can't even muster up the fake smile he'd normally give in that situation. From the corner of his eyesocket Sans can see another little spider scurrying off, dropping down by a strand of webbing until it disappeared behind the bar, and he wants to ask what the deal is, but his mind is consumed by that single, simple text message.

Chara had followed through with their threat. They have one of the people he loved the most...and there was nothing he could do to change that fact. They'd kill her, her blood would spill onto the cold ground, and he'd be without her. His immediate thought was to ask Frisk if they could Reset, and the cold feeling of disgust in himself was drowned out by his fear, paralyzing and blinding. Would he do it, though? Would he be willing to ask Frisk to go through all of that torment...to bring her back? Would Frisk be willing to? Would they understand?

Another warm hand landed on his shoulder as Grillby shook him gently, checking to see if Sans was alright. He'd apparently stopped breathing and, with the pinpricks of light normally present in his eyesockets gone, he looked like he'd been...not well. Which, in all honesty, he wasn't well. He was so far from 'well' that he wondered if he'd ever be 'well' again. He'd just lost the love of his life, after all.

' _No. She's not dead yet...she's not. Nothing about that message says that she's dead...'_ The bones in his hands creaked loudly from the way they clenched into fists, pain blooming from the strain it put on his fingers, but that pain was the only thing that made him feel grounded, made him realize that this was _real_ , this wasn't just another fucked up nightmare.

He wasn't sure which he preferred.

* * *

Consciousness brought with it a slew of sensations, all of which were unfamiliar and overwhelming. Her entire right shoulder was overcome by a powerful ache that felt worse with every breath, and she struggled to keep her breathing low and even in a vain attempt to lessen the strain. The pain that throbbed within her head reminded her too much of the morning after her concussion and, even though she couldn't see, she was certain her vision would be blurry and swimming-

She couldn't see. _She couldn't see._ Panic began to bleed through as she opened and closed her eyes again and again, struggling to regain her sight, when she felt something brush against her eyelashes. _'Oh,'_ she thought with only a small amount of relief, _'I'm blindfolded...'_ It was far from comforting, but the thought that she wasn't suddenly blind was nice. Without her eyes, she tried desperately to get a grasp on the situation by figuring out where she was. There were several voices around her, some crying, others muttering things to themselves. A louder, crueler voice barked out a firm command of "quiet" and a hush fell over the room. From the way it echoed slightly, she could gather that the room she was in was rather large, the cold concrete beneath her signifying that they were indoors, but not inside a nice building. The sharp smell of chemicals was too strong, and she could recognize the oddly addicting scent of gasoline on the stale air around her...maybe a warehouse? She would need to know for certain if she was going to aid in her rescue!

...She watched far too many crime tv shows.

"Wh-why are we here...?" a strained voice came from right next to her, a woman's voice, and she turned her head toward it slightly, frowning. "Wh-what do you w-want with us?! Why are we here?!" She began to cry, her sobs loud and jagged, like they were being torn from her throat forcibly. _'What do I say? I don't know why we're here either...'_ Before she could even begin to contemplate what to say to calm the hysterical woman, the stomping of boots fast approaching cut her thoughts short, followed by the woman's sharp cry of pain. "NO, PL-PLEASE, LET ME GO-OOO!" Her wails of fear broke through her words, and there was a sound of rough collision, something warm splattering across Lena's cheek, and then the crying stopped. The footsteps receded as quickly as they came, with no other words being spoken. The air was so humid and damp in the-..wherever they were, but all of her crying had left her dehydrated, her lips dry and cracking. She allowed herself to wet them with her tongue nervously, and it was with a lurch of her stomach that she recognized the coppery tang of blood. She spat immediately as her stomach churned uneasily, and she suddenly found herself straining to hear if the collapsed heap next to her was breathing or not.

That was when the panic began to set in. She tried to retrace her steps, to remember what had happened that led up to her being there. She'd come home from work, she'd gotten into a stupid argument with Sans, she ran out on Papyrus, called her friend Brit to pick her up... What had happened to-

A shudder ran through her as she remembered the flash of eerie redness, the last thing she could actively recall before she'd gone unconscious. From the pain in her head, she assumed that she'd been attacked. _'But...why?'_

"...-believe that I asked you to keep him over there."

"Yes, but..he said that his wife was there. He wanted to be with her." _'That voice...'_ The familiarity of it was almost relieving, but something about that voice gave her a strong sense of unease just by hearing it. She strained to listen, above the moans of pain and the labored breathing of the other people around her. The familiar female voice was talking to someone, a male, and though it sounded familiar, too, she wasn't as attuned to it.

"Since when do they get to decide what they want?" he asked sharply, and the sound of clicking footsteps echoing loudly made Lena's head hurt.

"I...didn't see any harm in it-"

"Of course you didn't. You might as well be completely fucking blind." The biting comment made even Lena flinch, and she scooted herself backward as quietly as she could, back pressing even harder against the cold concrete wall behind her. "Oh, looks like she's awake," the male said, sounding all too cheerful for the environment she felt like she was in. Footsteps approached her and a hand roughly grabbed her by her right arm, causing a fresh flare of pain as something already out of place felt like it was torn even further away from where it was intended. A scream clawed its way up her throat, but she was silenced by what felt like a very hard, very swift kick to her side. "Be quiet! We don't want you riling everybody else up, now, do we?" There was that sickeningly sweet tone again, one that sounded as unnatural as it did insincere, and she shuddered when the clammy hand holding her squeezed. She struggled to get her feet underneath her as whoever it was that had a hold of her began to pull her, the scraping of her own frantic stumbling and their level, measured footsteps filling the room. She wanted to be brave and ask where she was, ask who the hell had a grip on her, but the fear had lodged itself in her throat, rendering her silent, save for the gasps for breath she made. It felt like her ribs were broken, but she couldn't tell. She'd never had broken ribs before. Maybe they were just bruised. Or maybe she was just sore. Or _maybe she should be worrying more about where she was being taken instead of her the state of her ribs._

After what must have been only a few seconds, but felt like minutes, of walking, there was a loud, slamming sound of a door. The mumbling sounds of other people disappeared along with it, fading into a silence that she could _feel_ , and it felt...wrong. The hand roughly holding her arm moved to her injured shoulder, and she yelped in pain as she was shoved by it into a hard chair.

"So," the voice broke the silence, but she felt no less uncomfortable. "You're 'The One', huh? The one who's decided to bridge the gap..." Footsteps drew closer, and Lena felt herself stiffen as a hand reached out to brush her bangs from in front of her covered eyes. "...You're disgusting." A cold lump fell into the pit of her stomach, churning, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as the voice loomed closer. "You think that you can undo human nature? That you can teach everyone to be accepting and loving and kind to things that _don't belong?_ Teach everyone to go against their own species and start loving _monsters_?" The hand moved to rest against her shoulder (the one that wasn't still throbbing), pulling at her tanktop just enough to uncover all of the skin that had been stained. Their fingers ran over it in a way that almost could have been described as gentle, but that quickly changed as she felt nails dig into her skin, pinching, and she drew in a small, sharp breath. "You're the reason why the world is going to hell. People like you, who don't even know how to be loyal to their own fucking kind...people like you ought to die."

' _No, no, no no no, please-'_ Her bound hands began to tremble on her lap, and she wanted so badly to run, but where could she go? She was blinded, bound, captured. Even if she did try to run, she probably couldn't escape. She didn't even know where she was-

The hands roughly grabbed at her blindfold and jerked it off, tearing out a few strands of her hair along with it, and she flinched away from it, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. The foul smell of nicotine and smoke and bubblegum washed over her as they were suddenly very close to her face, breathing loudly, and she was so afraid of opening her eyes and seeing her death waiting for her. Still, she steeled herself and forced her eyes open, her heart giving a solid thud as she found herself looking up at a man. He was probably considered handsome at one point, but his greasy, unkempt blond hair and his overgrown stubble stood out starkly, his clothes stained with something faintly brown and red- _'That's blood, isn't it? He's got blood on him. He's going to kill me. He's-'_ Then she saw his eyes, such a striking shade of ice blue, and she immediately recognized the voice from before.

She found herself staring at Devon Stark, older brother of her ex co-worker Kathleen Stark, and despite the familiarity there, she only felt her dread grow even more.

"Oh? You look like you know who I am. That's convenient, isn't it?" he chuckled, eyes narrowing as he smiled, and it looked so out of place on his face that she wanted to look away. "There is a very specific reason why you have found yourself under my watchful eyes. Would you like to know what it is?" The question felt as loaded as a gun, and she didn't dare say anything. Devon sucked on his teeth in irritation and stood upright, the motion alone being enough to make her flinch. "Kathleen! Get in here!" The door to the small, dingy room Lena found herself seated in opened, and there strode in the very woman herself, her hair still as razor straight and makeup as flawless as the first day they'd met. Her nice skirt suit was pressed perfectly, looking like she'd just been on her way to go to work. Their eyes met and, for an instant, Lena felt something clench painfully within her chest, and anger flared up before she could contain it.

"...Why?" she mumbled, her lips feeling numb as she spoke. The other woman made no motion of answering, only averting her eyes, and she felt even more hurt and angry than ever. What had she done to deserve this? "Why are you doing this?! Kathleen, what are you-" Pain bloomed from her right cheek as Devon brought the back of his hand across it, the force enough to make her head turn. Her cheek throbbed and immediately began to swell, feeling stiff as her eye closed against the sharp sensation.

"That's quite enough of that, I think," he said shortly, the cold look of hatred in his eyes enough to send a shiver through her. Whatever anger she had fizzled out, leaving behind that familiar emptiness and fear. Kathleen almost looked apologetic...but Lena didn't dare to think that this woman felt anything for her but disdain. "My sister here has been rather useful, for once in her life." The mentioned woman had an expression of hurt flash across her face, but she quickly schooled it back to her usual closed-off look. "If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have gotten kicked out of that shitty school. You wouldn't have been denied by every other school in the city area. You wouldn't have had to go through any of this! If only the laws hadn't been passed when they did, I could have gotten around to you sooner... But, of course, that's all water under the bridge now!" Lena glanced over at Kathleen, her eyes already watering from the pain beginning to fill even more. The other woman refused to meet her gaze, instead staring at her brother.

"...Why?" The question came unbidden past her lips, and she immediately expected to be struck again, but, surprisingly enough, Devon just smiled wider at her.

"Why? Why is that the first question anyone ever asks? Why not how? Or who? Or when? What is the significance of the why in a situation? Why does knowing why make you feel better?" He breathed out a long, gentle sigh, crossing his arms over his wide chest. " _Because_ , obviously, humans are disgusting, selfish creatures. Born only knowing how to demand for what they want, and dying with regrets of things they never had. Living with the only intent being to fulfill themselves... Oh, I'm sure you want to tell me all about how not every human is like that. And, sure, some aren't as inherently disgusting." A flash of red crossed over those ice blue eyes for a second, so quickly that Lena believed she'd imagined it, and his smile transformed into a cruel smirk. "But, really, does it matter? When nine out of ten of you are horrific and destined to doom yourselves and everyone around you, isn't it better to just kill you all? You don't deserve to exist."

"Th-that's not true!" Her own voice startled her and, from the look on Devon's face, he wasn't expecting her to speak, either. "We...h-humans aren't all as bad as that. W-we can change things, if we j-just show kindness to one another... It's worth existing. It's the reason why we-!" The male sneered and squeezed her injured shoulder, his free hand curling into a fist and sending itself into her gut, just below her rib cage. She felt the wind being knocked out of her and her throat burned as the smallest amount of bile left her stomach, filling her mouth and dripping past her lips.

"Disgusting...everything about you is disgusting..." He wiped the bile from his hand onto her sweater, being far rougher than necessary, and, once he was clean again, he shoved her shoulder, chair tipping back slightly as it threatened to fall over. As Lena struggled to regain her breath he hopped up onto the flimsy wooden table in the center of the room, pulling a knife from his pocket and sliding his fingertips along to flat of the worn blade. "Your Kindness is probably the most revolting thing. Going through life with a soul like that... I'd rather have torn out my own soul and shattered it."

She coughed, eyes watering as the taste of sick burned her tongue and nose. "M-my soul...?"

"Your soul. The Kindness is so prominent that your soul is especially powerful, even with as little Determination as you have...which is why I needed you." Devon slid himself down from the table and walked over to kneel in front of her chair, giving her a sweet smile that left a bitter taste in her mouth. "You could be one of the souls that I need. Isn't that exciting?!" A distorted-sounding giggle left his lips and he straightened, his eyes narrowing as they began to glow a faint crimson. "If you end up being descendant of magi, then your life will be spared for a bit longer. I'm sure that'll make the comedian happy."

' _Sans?!'_ Her chest ached as she imagined him, realizing she'd been taken, blaming her for not staying with him. She could practically feel her soul shudder painfully, tears dripping more quickly from her bruised eyelids.

"You are a human with a powerful Kindness...and I intend to unravel it! Bit by bit, I'm going to destroy every aspect, until nothing but hatred remains..." He loomed ever closer, raising the blade until she could feel the sharp edge pressed against her throat. Her entire body felt cold as ice as she froze, her breathing quick and shallow. "I'm going to hurt you. I'm going to hurt you until I can worm my way into your soul, and, once I do, I'm going to use you. Even if you aren't of magi blood, your relationship with that smiley trashbag and Frisk will be of use to me-"

"No! Y-you leave them alone..!" she forced out, gritting her teeth as she felt the razor-sharp edge press even deeper into her skin.

"...Orange doesn't suit you, Lena." Devon- no, whoever they were- slowly pulled the knife away from her throat, admiring the faint red line they left in its wake with a faint smirk. "Kathleen," they said, returning the knife to its sheath on their belt and turning toward the silent woman, "take her into the other room and get her ready to be tested. And make sure to- ..." Crimson eyes narrowed dangerously and they stormed forward, and Kathleen flinched as they drew near. A small spider rested just on her shoulder, apparently unnoticed by her. They growled, voice thick with animosity as the grabbed it and crushed the poor creature in their hand. "You IDIOT!" Fist still clenched, they sent it into Kathleen's cheek, causing her to stagger backward and trip on her heels. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?! I TOLD YOU TO CHECK FOR _EVERYTHING_ BEFORE YOU CAME HERE! NOW THEY KNOW WHERE WE ARE!" Their voice was a booming roar, full of unbridled rage, and Lena felt fear as well as pity as she watched them grab Kathleen by her beautiful long hair, shaking her.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't know-" They released their grip, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"No... Of course you didn't," they spat vehemently, eyes narrow slits and lips drawn back into a sneer. "Get her ready to be tested. I have to go check and make sure you didn't fuck up anywhere else." They walk as though they're on a warpath, past the blonde woman shivering on the floor and wrenching the door open roughly. Pausing just at the door, they turn back to glare at Kathleen, a look of disgust passing across their features. "Keep an eye on her. I'm sure even _you_ can handle that much." The door then slams loudly behind them and both women release a sigh of relief, almost simultaneously. The more violent threat was gone, for the moment...but there was still one very real threat in the room with her, and Lena felt her stomach churn as she looked at the woman. Kathleen attempted to smooth out her mussed and pulled hair, a look of shame disgracing her features.

' _She's the reason why I lost my job. And why I wasn't able to get another one in town. She's probably at fault for all of the bad things that have been happening lately, even me winding up here...'_ Despite how badly she wanted to hate her...Lena couldn't bring herself to. Breathing past the pain in her shoulder and ribs, she looked Kathleen over as she got to her feet, heels clicking loudly against the concrete floor.

"Hey..." Ice blue eyes darted over to look at her, her expression instantly becoming guarded, and Lena swallowed uneasily, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. "Are you...alright?" The question surprised the blonde, obviously from the way her eyes widened and her lips parted in a somewhat slack-jaw expression.

"You're asking _me_ that, really?" The biting tone that was normally present in her voice was gone, dampened by emotions that were swirling within her mind. She had a point. Why was she so worried about her? Why did she care at all?

" _When someone hurts you, Lena-bug, it's usually because they're hurt themselves."_

' _Gran... I'm trying.'_ Sniffing loudly, she breathed out a steady sigh, steadying her nerves. "Yes. I am." Casting a wary glance towards the door, Lena wet her cracked lips with her tongue, curling and uncurling her fingers to try and regain some feeling in them. The ropes that bound her wrists were tied too tightly, the rough fibers digging into her skin. "...What happened to him?" Kathleen flinched bodily before she could compose herself, taking in a sharp breath. "It's obvious that something's...wrong." The other woman avoided Lena's gaze but she kept looking anyway, her eyes earnest and desperate. "You don't have to do this. You can go to the police, and-"

"And what? Go against the only person I've got?" she spat, an iciness in her tone that almost hid the pain underneath her words. A shout from outside startled both of them and, looking torn, the blonde hurried forward, pulling something silver from her pocket. "Here. Take this." The cold steel of the razor blade pressed into Lena's palm and she shivered, a heaviness resting within her chest as she met the woman's sorrowful eyes. "...I'm sorry." She then turned on her heel and hurried out of the room, closing the door with a soft click behind her. Outside, Lena could hear Devon's voice bellowing orders, cries of fear and pain from other nameless, faceless people that had been captured just like her. She was afraid...so, so afraid, but the cold sharpness in her hand kept her grounded.

She wondered if she was going to end up having to use it. A cold shiver ran through her soul...

* * *

 **[[ RIP smol spoider... Muffet isn't going to be very happy about that. Thank you so much for reading, and look forward to the next installment! I'm already working on it, so stay tuned! Things are getting real busy! ]]**


	42. Chapter 42

**[[ Look at this, spoiling you guys with two chapters in one day. I'm so nice to you guys. (Because I love you.) I hope you all are getting pumped, because things are going to start picking up plot-wise from here on out. Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

It was unusual for the bar to be closed before six o'clock in the evening and, even though the lights were turned out and the doors were locked, it was still very much occupied. After Sans had finally given enough information to Grillby (in other words, telling him that something bad had happened to Lena, and that her life was in danger), it had taken him less than thirty seconds to get the bar closed and cleared. The only ones who remained were the pack of dogs who, at that particular moment, were still playing poker against each other. He'd tried to persuade them to leave, but Doggo had apparently overheard everything easily, despite the murmur of patrons, and they were insistent upon staying and helping out as much as they could. "She's a nice human who knows how to give a good scratch behind the ear..." the dog groused aloud, lighting up a dog treat and moving to stand by an open window when Grillby shot him a 'look'. (Because, as ironic as it was, Grillby didn't allow smoking inside the bar.) Dogamy glanced over to his wife, snuffing noisily as he gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"Yeah, well...She's also put up with us and Lesser Dog asking for pets. And she congratulated us before anyone else did," he mused, his glance casting downward, where Dogaressa was rubbing her swollen stomach, a sorrowful and pensive expression on her muzzle. Despite the arguments everyone else had put up she had insisted on staying as well, refusing to let the others handle it without her. She knew as well as anyone else that her mate was useless without her (and she thought that in a loving way, of course). Dogamy wasn't able to keep being stern with her when she gave him those big, pleading eyes.

"Yes, she did. She is...a strange human, but a kind one. I rather like her, Dogamy." The pregnant dog monster laid down her cards, pulling a groan of defeat from the other dogs at the table. She cast her eyes to the bar where a certain skeleton still sat, hunched on his stool, his eyesockets empty and staring into nothingness. She didn't know why, but it...pissed her off. With a soft growl she pushed herself up from her chair, only taking a second to assure her balance before stalking over to the bar. Grillby, seeing the dog's approach, quickly sidestepped and went into the back room. "Sans!" The skeleton didn't so much as flinch, and she almost thought he might've fallen asleep at the bar again. He swiveled on his bar stool slowly to look at her, his grin strained and etched painfully onto his skull, sockets dark. "Are you going to just sit there and wait for your mate to return?" The word 'mate' brought the slightest reaction from him, his shoulders twitching upward, and she pressed onward. "She has been taken and you are just...just sitting here, looking like you're feeling sorry for yourself!" His skull drooped further and she growled low in her throat, lips pulling back to expose her fangs. "If someone had taken my mate, I would trudge through hell and high water until I got them back. Or, at least...until I got revenge." Dogamy pushed himself up from the table as well, paws extended out toward her in a placating gesture.

"Dear, you should sit down and rest... He's dealing with this the best way he can. Calm down-"

"I most certainly will **not** calm down!" Fire blazed in her eyes as she turned to glare at her mate, who quickly whimpered and lowered his ears. "Sans, it's already done. So now you need to get off your ass and go get her!"

"I know that, Ressa... It's not like I'm plannin' on letting her go or anything." Sans glanced over to his cracked phone which still sat on the bar, where Grillby had left it. "I just...dunno how..." Dogaressa sighed heavily and folded her arms over her chest.

"Well, good thing you're not alone, then. We can all think of a way to get her back." Startled the skeleton looked up, the lights in his eyes returning momentarily, though they were dim. "You're not alone, Sans. Lean on us. We can help." The faint sound of clicking bone filled the room for a moment before Sans sagged even more heavily against the bar, his skull tilting in a small nod. Aggrivated, Dogaressa turned on her heel and went to sit back at the table, plopping heavily down in her seat and ignoring the warnings to 'be careful' from her worrisome mate.

' _She's got no idea what we're up against. They don't stand a chance...'_ Images from memories of a couple's dust scattering across the snowy forests of Snowdin filled his mind, and he struggled to cast them away. He couldn't possibly let them get involved. They were on the surface, they were happy. _They had pups on the way._ He'd be a selfish bastard to ever even think of asking for their help. ...Unfortunately, it seemed like they were going to give it, regardless of if he wanted it or not. He sighed and reached for the fresh bottle of ketchup Grillby had placed in front of him, flicking the cap off roughly with his thumb and bringing it to his mouth to take a long drink. _'What am I gonna do...?'_

The door to the bar burst open suddenly, startling everyone badly enough that their fur stood on end (if they had it). Grillby poked his head out from the back and, upon seeing who it was, gave a head-tilt in greeting. Sans didn't even have a chance to turn and see who it was when he found himself lifted effortlessly from his barstool, hard arms wrapped around him and squeezing him in a hug. "I am so sorry, Sans..." The abnormally soft voice shook him, and Sans tilted his skull up to see Papyrus, his eyesockets full, near overflowing, with orange-tinted tears. "I let her leave the apartment... I- I should have stopped her." Sans sat silent for a long moment, struggling to comprehend what was being said, and- _oh_ , Papyrus blamed himself for Lena being kidnapped, and that thought alone sent a painful ache through his soul.

"'s not your fault, bro," he said earnestly, reaching up to grab the taller skeleton's skull and leaned forward to bump their foreheads together with a soft ' _clank'_.

"If..." Papyrus sniffled loudly, bringing a gloved hand up to wipe at the tears wetting his cheekbones. "IF YOU SAY THAT IT IS NOT MY FAULT, THEN YOU CANNOT SAY IT IS YOUR FAULT." The knowing glance his younger brother gave him made Sans avert his gaze, releasing a hissing sigh from between his teeth.

"Yeah...sure, bro." He pat the other skeleton's shoulder guards and gave a small questioning noise. "What're you doin' here anyway?"

"OH! WELL, I WAS ASKED TO COME HERE!" Frowning slightly, Sans glanced from Grillby, who had retaken his place behind the bar, and Papyrus.

"...By who-"

"WHO THE FUCK'S ASS DO I GOTTA KICK?!" The bellowing voice stormed into the restaurant with a blaze of anger, blue scales and fiery red hair looking incredibly bright despite the lack of light in the room. Undyne glared around the room, getting a few whimpers from the dogs, but Papyrus simply smiled and waved.

"UNDYNE, WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, PLEASE!" The ex Captain of the Royal Guard scowled, lowering her summoned energy spear and appearing to try and calm down...some.

"Yeah, yeah... Seriously, what the heck are we doing standing around here?! Shouldn't we be out getting your girl back, bonehead?!" The question was directed at Sans who gave a weak shrug, smile faltering slightly. "Don't tell me you've given up already..." The way her yellow eye narrowed into a sharp slit promised hell to anyone who would dare do such a thing, but before Sans could even respond, the door (which was still hanging open) closed with an audible click, Toriel standing just inside the doorway.

"Goodness, such a ruckus in here! No need to get all _fired up_ just yet!" Undyne, Papyrus, Grillby, and the dogs all groaned at her pun while she giggled delightedly at herself, raising a paw to cover her mouth politely. Papyrus sat Sans back down as Undyne pulled him in for a rough noogie, shouting about making battle plans. The matronly goat monster's eyes fell on Sans and he immediately felt himself stiffen, guilt worming its way into his soul. The last time they'd spoken, he'd yelled at her. Stars, what the hell was wrong with him? He's surely lost his best friend, and now-

His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of warm arms wrapping around his shoulders, and he stood stock still for a few long seconds, eyesockets widened impossibly. "Sans. Are you alright, my friend?" He felt his non-existent throat tighten and he choked on a laugh, leaning into the embrace and resting his forehead against her shoulder. "I suppose that is a silly question... Do not worry, Sans. We will get her back." She slowly released him and stood upright, looking down at him with a smile.

"We, huh?" he asked, voice rough with emotion that he tried to keep in check.

"We." She nodded and swept her arm outward in a gesture toward all the others in the room. "We are all here for you, and for Lena-" The name alone sent his soul shuddering in pain and fear, and she seemed to sense this, as she reached a paw out to rest on top of his skull. "-and we will stop at nothing until our family is back together again." He fought against the few tears that tried to gather in his sockets and nodded, too afraid to say anything lest his voice break. When she seemed satisfied of his understanding, she withdrew her hand and turned to the two noisy monsters bickering about battle strategies. "Undyne, my dear, is Alphys not with you?" Undyne's ear fins perked up at the mention of the small lizard monster, mouth twisting into a thoughtful frown.

"Nah, she got a phone call from someone and had rushed off to her lab... Then I got a call that told me to come here."

"YOU GOT A CALL TELLING YOU TO COME TO GRILLBY'S, AS WELL? HOW STRANGE!"

"Yes, it is quite strange..." A frown pulled down on the ex-queen's muzzle, and she tapped her claws against her chin as she pondered the correlation. "Who on earth would know to call us all together in such a dire time?"

The door to the establishment swung open, the cold gust of breeze from outside making the bartender's flames flicker wildly, and a familiar monster strode gracefully in.

"Ahuhuhu~! That, my dears, would be my doing." Muffet strode right up to the bar, taking the damaged cell phone and looking it over. Her lips were pulled into a knowing smile, her eyes all alight with purpose and curiosity. Dogaressa glanced between the spider monster and the ex-Queen, frowning deeply.

"What are you talking about, Muffet?" The spideress turned to the dog with a look of disinterest, though her smile was still politely in place.

"Oh, you see, my little darlings and I have been keeping track of a few... _pests_ as of late. You see, Papyrus told me of a human that had come in looking for dear Lena, and ever since then...well, perhaps before then, as well...I've been keeping track of everyone's movements." She raised a hand and snapped her fingers, and almost instantly there were tiny little spider monsters crawling and jumping off of everyone's shoulders. Doggo whined, not being able to have felt their presence without them moving stressing him out, and Greater Dog reached out and pat him sloppily on the head in a calming gesture. "Once there were a little crowd of the spiders at her feet, Muffet looked up to everyone with a small smirk. "I know exactly what's going on, and...hmm, there are a few things that some people need to talk about, yes?" She gave a pointed look in Sans' direction and he tensed, sockets narrowing slightly. He didn't appreciate being called out. She clapped her hands together, "Regardless! That is for another time. For now, we should go and retrieve Lena."

"Sure, no problem...except we don't know where she is!" Undyne grumbled, and Papyrus gestured over to the table of dogs.

"PERHAPS THEY COULD SNIFF HER OUT?"

"That will not be necessary, dearies," Muffet cooed, reaching down to pet the little spiders now climbing up her body to rest on her shoulders. "I have her exact location as of ten minutes ago. ...They killed my dear little one, so that's the last I was able to discern." The flash of anger that crossed her eyes made even the blind Doggo shiver, but it was quickly covered by a confident smile. "I've called you all together here so that we can rescue her. We need to work quickly, and, once we begin our attack, we'll have very little time to assure her safety."

They all gathered around the largest table, Undyne and Papyrus opting to stand as Grillby stood over the table, allowing his light to cast across the documents spread out. Sans clenched his jaw tightly as he saw everything laid out so easily in front of him, the picture of a familiar woman with ice-blue eyes standing out. He glared at it hatefully, grinding his teeth. "Now," Muffet began, pointing effortlessly to three different documents with her multiple arms, while her forth held a cup of tea up to her lips. "This organization 'N.A.M.E.,' short for the 'National Anti-Monster Embassy,' has been overly active over the last several weeks. They change hideouts frequently; however, I've been able to track them down to this one location." She pointed at the circled spot on a map and Sans was already thinking about whether or not he could take a 'shortcut' there. "There are several humans, and they are armed with firearms. The one in charge..." she paused, shuffling a few papers out of the way to expose a photo. "This man. Devon Stark, along with his sister, Kathleen, are apparently in control of the whole operation. They've been marking and kidnapping humans for unknown purposes..."

"...Sounds a lot like those purposes aren't as 'unknown' as you say. Wanna share with the class?" Sans piped up, browbones furrowing in frustration as the spideress merely giggled.

"I have seen some things...but I did not know what their true purpose was until a short while ago. My little darling was able to sneak in on Kathleen's person and...let's just say that Devon was being very liberal with information when he was talking to Lena." She narrowed her eyes in a knowing glance towards Sans, her smile widening slightly. "They seem to have a personal vendetta against Sans, for... _whatever reason_." The click of bone as Sans clenched his fists pulled Greater Dog's attention, and the towering beast leaned down to nuzzle/headbutt the top of the skeleton's skull. "Now! As for plans... Papyrus, you are least vulnerable to their attacks, seeing as how you don't have flesh. You'll need to be careful, but your strengths will come into play quite nicely for us. You will go in first and attempt to trap the violent humans." The tall skeletons chest puffed with pride and he nodded eagerly. "Undyne, you will go in with him. We're going to be attempting to incapacitate as many humans as we can, so do be a dear and try _not_ to kill them, hm?"

"Tch, you can count on us!" Undyne threw an arm around Papyrus' shoulders and tugged him in for a hug, receiving a hearty "NYEH HEH HEH".

"Lady Toriel, I would like for you to stand by and heal those who are injured." The royal monster nodded, and Muffet gave a small glance over to the pack of dogs. "As for you all, you'll be helping to get the non-violent captured humans out of the way. We can only assume that they'll know we're coming now, so we'll need to try and lessen the number of casualties."

"What about me?" Muffet glanced over at the tense skeleton monster, her expression thoughtful and pensive, but only for a second, before a smirk broke out across her lips.

"You will be our last man in." Immediately Sans looked like he wanted to argue, but she cut him off. "Lena is our target. After we get the violent humans taken care of, you'll go in, find your...partner," she said, smile widening in that knowing way and _stars_ , Sans fucking hated it. "Then you'll teleport her out. Alphys is already taking care of surveillance, along with myself and my little dearies." The tiny spider monsters all purred and gave a 'kree' of assent, and she reached up to pet each one on top of their little heads lovingly. "Grillby, dear, the rain has stopped...which means I'll be needing you to go in with Papyrus and Undyne as part of the 'first wave' of attack." The fire elemental nodded silently and Undyne gave him a skeptical once-over.

"You sure you'll be able to keep up with an ex-Captain?" Muffet immediately fell into a fit of giggles, absolutely delighted, though by what, Undyne had no clue. Toriel even seemed to be holding back a bit of laughter, herself. "What's so funny?!"

"Undyne, my child," Toriel offered, gesturing a paw towards Grillby. "He was in the War on the front lines..." The look of realization that washed over Undyne's face was priceless, and a hissing crackle of a chuckle came from the elemental as he rolled up his sleeves, arms flexing slightly as he curled his fingers into a fist. The way his lips parted into a bright, sharply glowing smirk made the spiders on Muffet's shoulders shiver in fear, but she quietly shushed them.

" _I'll try not to slow you down,"_ Grillby said softly, and Undyne had the grace to look slightly embarrassed by her blunder. _"We should hurry, then, before the rain picks up."_ He had a closed umbrella tucked under one arm, and the sight made Sans want to laugh, but the stress of the situation prompted him not to.

"Excellent!" Muffet practically sang, clapping her hands together. "Then, if there's nothing else..." Undyne whooped loudly and slammed her fist onto the table, leaving a heavy crack running across the wood.

"LET'S GO AND GET OUR HUMAN!" The dogs and Papyrus all cheered along loudly, already leading the way out of the bar, axes and spears in hand. Muffet gave a small giggle and followed, giving Sans a lingering glance as her eyes flit toward Toriel, and he wanted to glare at her, but she'd already turned on her delicate heel and gracefully stepped out. A warm hand landed on one bony shoulder, and a soft paw on the other, and Sans glanced up between his two best friends, feeling his soul give a mighty tug.

" _We can talk later. After your human is with you."_ Toriel nodded with a smile, and Sans drew in a steadying breath, his smile widening into more of a grimace as he gave a slow nod. _'Hang on, babe. We're comin' for ya.'_ They walked out of the building together, hurrying to catch up to the others, who were already far ahead.

Operation Rescue Lena: GO!

* * *

 **[[ Annnnnd there you have it! The rescue mission has begun! Let me know what you all think. Spam me on tumblr (life-sans-sin) with your thoughts and feels! I wanna hear from you guys! ]]**


	43. Right The Wrongs

**[[ What? Three chapters in two days? You're already working on 44? Brit, how on earth can you possibly spoil us any more?!**

 **...Yeah, I know. But, in my defense, I was on a serious roll, and I wanted to keep this train going while I had it. That, and it felt cruel to leave you hanging in suspense for too long... Soooo, you know the drill. I apologize in advance. I appreciate any comments I get. They give me life! 33 And I love you guys. Seriously. I write this for you.**

 **Special thanks to my bro Jamie for encouraging me to write more. Seriously, you guys ought to be thanking him biiiiig time.**

 **Anyways, Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

As soon as the door closed behind her she felt a small weight being pressed onto her chest, a heaviness that she couldn't seem to shake. She swept her glacial blue eyes across the warehouse and saw husbands a and wives, parents and children, siblings and friends. These were all people who had someone waiting for them, someone who loved them and was worried for them, someone who was probably looking for them the same way she had gone looking for her brother. _'I found him, but at what cost..?'_ Her eyes darted to the disheveled blond in the center of the massive room, barking orders and spitting demands, and she found herself wondering, not for the first time, if she really ever found him at all. Sometimes, in the back of her mind, she'd find herself thinking that her brother was still lost somewhere.

"Kathleen!" She stiffened as his attention was once again on her, that weight in the pit of her chest tightening into something almost painful. Devon crossed the room to her in a few long strides, his stubble-covered jaw clenched tight with anger. "What are you doing out here? I thought I told you to get her ready." She nodded, reaching a hand up to nervously smooth out her platinum blonde tresses, wincing ever so slightly as she passed over the sore spot on her scalp. Taking only a moment to make sure her voice was steady, she stepped forward.

"You did. I was just making sure there wasn't anything out here that I could help out with." _'Because guilt isn't a feeling I particularly enjoy, and seeing her in such a pathetic state makes me feel bad,'_ was the unspoken continuation of her statement, a silent truth that she refused to voice. Her brother looked her over and scowled, thick brows furrowing as his lips pulled back into an odd half-smirk.

"You want to be helpful, sis?" She nodded, almost embarrassed at how eager she was because _yes, she wanted to hear his praise again, wanted him to treat her kindly, like he used to._ "Fine. After you get her strapped down and ready, you can take care of her phone for me. Fucking thing has been buzzing nonstop since around half an hour ago." The heat of irritation that colored his voice made her quick to nod in agreement, though her heart sank at his words a bit. She was still going to have to deal with Lena, and… well, she would do as she was told. She must not have replied quickly enough, though, because Devon was suddenly very close to her, hand gripping her arm just above her elbow as his crimson, bloodshot eyes were trained carefully on her face. "You'll do it. For me. Look back on all that I've done for you, Kathleen." She tensed in his grasp, pulling away slightly, and his smile spread wide across his face. "C'mon, sis. Don't let me down now…" He knew what would make her give, all too easily, and the glint of knowing in his eyes proclaimed that loud and clear. So as he held out the captive woman's cell phone, he already knew that she'd step forward and take it without argument, slipping it into the pocket of her jacket.

"...Of course, Devon. I won't let you down." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek, stubble scratching her skin for a brief second before he pulled away, giving her a small but purposeful shove back toward the door she'd only just closed.

"Good. Now, get to it. We don't have much time now." She gave another slow nod and turned back toward the door, waiting until she heard her brother's footsteps retreat from her before opening it. Inside Lena was sat slumped in her chair, palm open as she stared, eyes wide and face a stark white, at the little razor blade that had been placed in her hand. The sound of the opening door startled her and she quickly closed her hand, wincing as she no doubt cut her own palm on the blade. Then those verdant eyes were focused on her, questioning, and it made that little place in her chest tighten even further. It felt...wrong. Sullying the other woman's name had been bad enough, but this…? That odd place inside that she didn't quite have a name for felt sick as she realized what she was going to be doing.

" _Don't you understand, Kath? I'm the only person who loves you. In all of this wretched, disgusting world, I'm the only one who cares about you. Everyone else is lying...and why wouldn't they? Look at you. You're a_ _ **disgrace**_ _. But that's okay, because I love you anyway, sis. I love y-"_

Her eyes closed tightly against the memory, drawing in a small, slow breath to compose herself. _'He needs me to do this,'_ she told herself as she stepped closer to Lena, who shrank away in uncertainty and fear. _'He's all I have, and I... I have to do this for him.'_ She pulled the larger woman up from her seat by her bound wrists, ignoring the way she flinched from the pain of what was undoubtedly a serious case of ropeburn.

"Wh-where are we going?" she asked, her voice quiet, and Kathleen remained silent, perfectly painted red lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to keep her emotions inside. "Kathleen, please… p-please, don't do this-" She gave a sharp tug on the ropes and the auburn haired woman yelped softly in pain, voice falling silent. Briefly she wondered if she was supposed to blindfold her again before taking her, but it was certainly much easier this way. For whatever reason, Lena wasn't fighting back, even though Devon was gone now. _'She never did fight back, though, did she...?'_ That guilt was back again, gnawing at the back of her mind like a starved, rabid dog on an abandoned hambone, and she could feel its razor sharp fangs digging into her conscience. _'Helping my brother is the right thing to do. He's done so much for me. This is the right thing…'_ The two women walked down a long, empty hallway to another room, much further away from the main one where the other captives were kept. It was almost eerily quiet there, the only sounds being the scrapes and clicks of their combined footsteps, and Lena's labored breathing.

 _...Bzzzzzzt!_

Kathleen flinched as something vibrated fiercely within her pocket, and she muttered a soft curse under her breath when she realized it was the phone. She couldn't help but be curious… Who was trying to message Lena? Was it her parents? Her siblings? Maybe her aggravatingly talkative friend? Her monster friends? Her 'boyfriend'...? She had so many people that cared about her, it could be any number of them. A cold spike of resentment and envy pierced her chest, making that oddly heavy place feel a little bit lighter, if only for a moment. _'Must be nice being so perfect all the time, having everyone adore you with every turn… It's sickening.'_ The phone buzzed again, almost seeming as if it were growing louder, more persistent, and it was with a huff of annoyance that she pulled the other woman into the open room at the end of the hallway, closing the door with a simple push behind them.

"O-oh god…" she heard Lena whisper, and she followed the redhead's gaze to the large chair sitting as the focal point in the very center of the room. It looked almost like those comfy chairs you'd see in an expensive dentist's office, but the addition of multiple straps and buckles made it seem more like something out of nightmares. Next to it was a small steel table with a tray, laid out with several steril-looking surgical tools. A single, tiny syringe sat just on the edge, the needle still covered by its protective plastic cap. The liquid inside was transparent, completely colorless to the point where, if Kathleen didn't know any better, she would think it was full of nothing more than water.

...Oh, but of course she knew better.

A loud sniffling pulled her light azure gaze, and she felt her chest clench uncomfortably as she watched large, fat tears roll down Lena's rounder cheeks. She wasn't supposed to feel guilty. This was...this was right! She was helping her brother. She was doing for Devon what he'd done for her for her whole life! Loving him, supporting him- "Please…" The voice that was normally so warm came out as little more than a chilled whisper, as if her voice had frozen within her throat. The normally radiant expression was replaced with something pallid and sickly, and Kathleen wondered, if only for a moment, if she was going to vomit. "Please don't d-do this…"

She pushed the weeping woman into the chair, receiving little resistance as she secured the straps across her shoulders, neck, forehead, and stomach. Her ankles went next, being set in stirrups that held them apart and secured with straps of their own, and Kathleen tried desperately not to think of the times her brother's men had come in after a failed testing and violated women in that very chair. _'Helping him is the right thing to do…'_ she told herself, again and again, though what was once 'stating a fact' now felt much more like convincing herself. She moved to untie the ropes binding Lena's wrists, revealing the ugly, raw burns that had been left behind, and she didn't need to guess why one hand was clenched and the other was not. She was actually surprised that the very razor she'd given hadn't been used against her yet. _'Still not willing to put up a fight… so pathetic.'_ As she moved to secure her arms she paused, turning her forearm over just enough to reveal a thin line, a scar, right beneath the wrinkle where her palm met her forearm.

That heavy place filled to the brim and she felt weighted down, paralyzed and sick. It must have shown on her face because Lena was looking at her, still crying, but that concerned look on her face made Kathleen feel nauseous. She quickly secured every strap, double-checking each one, and she quietly left the room to stand guard outside the door. As she found her place to lean against the doorframe the phone in her pocket vibrated loudly, startling her and pulling her from her inner torment, if only briefly.

"Who the hell is blowing up her phone?" she mumbled, withdrawing the device from her pocket and pressing the small button on the side to open it. The home screen popped up instantly, a picture of Lena and that skeleton she had danced with at the formal gathering in Taobh set as the wallpaper. The both of them were smiling brightly, so obviously happy, but the skeleton was looking not at the camera, but at the woman next to him. It almost looked like the little lights in his eyes were in the shape of love-hearts, and it made her feel both jealous and sick to her stomach. The phone proclaimed that there were "51 missed messages", as well as "24 missed calls". Kathleen frowned slightly, thumb hovering over the little text box-shaped icon, uncertainty settling in her chest. _'It wouldn't be completely wrong of me to… Maybe it'll give Devon some information on who to expect.'_ It was with that thought that she secured her decision and opened the messages.

She immediately wished she hadn't.

| **Brit** : Hey, I'm almost there. You out front? |  
| **Brit** : Where you at? I've been driving around the building but I don't see you. |  
| **Brit** : I'm gonna come in. |  
| **Brit** : Papyrus says you ran out. You hiding out in front of another apartment building or something? |  
| **Brit** : He told me what the fight was about. I'm gonna kick his ass into next week when I see him, I swear. |  
| **Brit** : Or, tailbone...whatever, you know what I mean. |  
| **Brit** : I'm kinda pissed that you didn't tell me about the whole assault thing. I know you don't like making people worry and all, but this was pretty serious… |  
| **Brit** : I'm not mad at you, just the situation, I guess… |  
| **Brit** : You gonna come back? I'm still at your apartment waiting. |  
| **Brit** : I know you're upset right now but I need you to answer your phone. |  
| **Brit** : Hey, come on. Answer your phone when I call! I know your phone isn't dead because it doesn't go straight to voicemail. |  
| **Brit** : Okay seriously answer your phone. |  
| **Brit** : Lena, answer your goddamn phone. |  
| **Brit** : I've called you ten times, answer your fucking phone. |  
| **Brit** : Im freaking out right now okay just please answer your phone please |  
| **Brit** : probably being paranoid but i feel like something bad happened |  
| **Brit** : please lena please respond and tell me youre ok |  
| **Brit** : LENA ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE RIGHT NOW |  
| **Brit** : I'M FUCKING PISSED, I DON'T CARE IF YOU AND YOUR BOYFRIEND FOUGHT. |  
| **Brit** : ANSWER. YOUR. FUCKING. PHONE. |  
| **Brit** : pleaseplease i can't do this without you, we were supposed to deal with all of this bullshit together, please be okay |  
| **Brit** : i'm going to call the police if you don't answer in ten minutes |  
| **Brit** : i called the police and your gran. you better be okay or i swear |  
| **Brit** : i love you so goddamn much please answer your phone please |

| **Papyrus** : HELLO FRIEND. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE UPSET, BUT RUNNING OUT IN THE RAIN IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU RETURNED HOME AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. |  
| **Papyrus** : I WILL EVEN MAKE YOU YOUR FAVORITE PASTA ALFREDO WITH THE LITTLE BONE SHAPED NOODLES! |  
| **Papyrus** : AND HOT CHOCOLATE. I KNOW THAT MY BROTHER MAKES THAT FOR YOU OFTEN. |  
| **Papyrus** : IT WOULD APPEAR THAT WE ARE OUT OF HOT CHOCOLATE. SO, AS THE BEST FRIEND THAT I AM, I WILL RUN TO THE STORE VERY QUICKLY AND GET YOU SOME. |  
| **Papyrus** : DO YOU WANT ME TO GET YOU ANYTHING ELSE WHILE I AM HERE? I KNOW THAT YOUR 'SHARK WEEK' DOES NOT YET START FOR APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER THREE DAYS, BUT THE HUMAN BRIT SAID THAT ICE CREAM IS GOOD FOR EMOTIONAL TURMOIL. WHAT KIND DO YOU LIKE BEST? |  
| **Papyrus** : I DID NOT KNOW WHICH KIND OF ICE CREAM YOU LIKED THE MOST, SO I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. NO NEED TO THANK ME! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS OBVIOUSLY THE MOST THOUGHTFUL OF FRIENDS, AND IT IS MY DUTY TO DO WHAT I CAN TO CHEER YOU UP! |  
| **Papyrus** : I KNOW THAT MY BROTHER IS BEING DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW, BUT HE DOES CARE FOR YOU VERY MUCH. AND HE HAS GONE THROUGH THINGS IN THE PAST THAT MAKE HIM WORRY MORE THAN HE SHOULD. |  
| **Papyrus** : NOT THAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO DISREGARD HIS ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOR! HE IS BEING A BONEHEAD AND NUMBSKULL AND ANY OTHER NUMBER OF AWFUL SKELETON-PUNS THAT ONE CAN THINK OF FOR BEING FOOLISH. |  
| **Papyrus** : I AM MERELY TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY HE IS ACTING THIS WAY. |  
| **Papyrus** : IT IS NOT ONLY YOU THAT HE HAS DONE THIS WITH. HE HAS NOT DONE THIS QUITE THIS BADLY IN A LONG, LONG TIME, BUT IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE HAD TO EXPERIENCE MYSELF BEFORE IN THE PAST. |  
| **Papyrus** : JUST KNOW THAT HE WILL RETURN HOME AND APOLOGIZE AND ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU, AND THAT HE LOVES YOU VERY MUCH. |  
| **Papyrus** : AND...I LOVE YOU, AS WELL. PLATONICALLY, OF COURSE! |  
| **Papyrus** : I HAVE ARRIVED AT THE APARTMENT AND THE HUMAN BRIT IS HERE. SHE SAYS THAT SHE IS LOOKING FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU CALLED HER TO COME AND PICK YOU UP. YOU OUGHT TO KNOW THAT YOU ONLY NEED TO ASK ME AND I WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU TO HER HOUSE MYSELF! |  
| **Papyrus** : I...MAY HAVE TOLD HER ABOUT YOUR FIGHT WITH MY BROTHER. BUT ONLY BECAUSE SHE IS VERY PERSUASIVE! AND INTIMIDATING. AND SHE KEPT MAKING INNUENDO AND I GOT FLUSTERED AND I AM SORRY FOR SPEAKING WHEN IT WASN'T IN MY PLACE TO BUT SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU. |  
| **Papyrus** : SHE IS BEGINNING TO GROW VERY WORRIED ABOUT YOUR ABSENCE. I DO NOT MEAN TO BE PUSHY, BUT PERHAPS YOU SHOULD RETURN HOME NOW? |  
| **Papyrus** : BRIT IS INCREDIBLY VOCAL ABOUT HOW CONCERNED SHE IS. SHE'S STARTING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING BAD HAVING HAPPENED. THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS BETTER THAN TO FALL PREY TO PARANOIA LIKE THAT! BUT...I AM BEGINNING TO WONDER WHY YOU DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONE. BRIT PUSHED ME TO CALL YOU ON MY OWN CELL PHONE, AND YOU DID NOT ANSWER IT. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO TALK, THEN THAT IS FINE! BUT PLEASE LET US KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAFE AND WELL. |  
| **Papyrus** : I AM STARTING TO WORRY, AS WELL, NOW. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE UPSET WITH HIM, BUT IF I DO NOT GET A TEXT OR CALL FROM YOU WITHIN A HALF OF AN HOUR, THEN I WILL BE FORCED TO CALL SANS AND ASK IF HE KNOWS OF YOUR WHEREABOUTS. I HOPE YOU WILL NOT BE TOO UPSET WITH ME IF IT COMES TO THAT. |  
| **Papyrus** : I HAVE GOTTEN A CALL FROM MUFFET. SHE APPARENTLY NEEDS TO MEET ME SOMEWHERE FOR SOMETHING, PROBABLY ABOUT WORK. I AM STILL AWAITING A MESSAGE OR PHONE CALL FROM YOU, FRIEND. KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT, I WISH FOR YOUR SAFETY AND WELLBEING ABOVE ALL ELSE. |

| **Undyne:** Hey! Papyrus texted me asking if I knew where you were. What's up? |  
| **Undyne:** You get in a fight with your bonefriend? He's probably out bumming around at Grillby's. Papyrus said he wasn't home, so I'm just gonna assume that's what happened. |  
| **Undyne:** Papyrus called me and I could hear Brit in the background. She sounds pretty upset. You should get back home so they can stop blubbering over you being out! |  
| **Undyne:** Hey, I tried calling you, girly. Pick up the phone! |  
| **Undyne:** Seriously, answer the phone. |  
| **Undyne:** If you don't answer your phone this next time I call, I'm gonna kick your ass. |  
| **Undyne:** Fuck it, I'm having Alphys track down your location through your phone's GPS. When I get there, get ready for some serious talk. I'm gonna cuddle the living hell out of you! |  
| **Undyne:** Why the hell are you so far out of town? |  
| **Undyne:** I'm not fucking around, human. Answer. The. Goddamn. PHONE. |

The weight felt like it was suffocating her, enough that she actually rested her free hand against her chest, pulling at her shirt and suit jacket to try and relieve the tension. It hurt...seeing how much Lena was cared for, and by _monsters_ , even, of all things. She'd never truly had anything against the monsters, but Devon had. Then again, thinking back, she couldn't remember a time when her brother wasn't spitting obscenities at some other group. It was too shameful to admit that her brother was a stark racist, so she decided to turn the people he hated into the enemy. It made it a little easier to bear, easier to withstand hearing him speak so cruelly about people. _'Anymore, though, it seems like he hates everything…'_ That uneasy feeling came over her once again, but she was pulled away from it as the phone in her hand buzzed. A new message was flashing across the screen, and with a simple tap she opened it up to read.

| **Sans** : i don't know who's reading this. i don't know who you are or what you want, or why you think it was a good idea to kidnap my girlfriend. i could go on like liam neeson, say how i'll find you and kill you, but i'm not. that's too easy. |

Another small buzz, and Kathleen found herself staring, terrified as the phone spelled out a message that was written to her, _without even knowing her name._ Her hand trembled as she held the device tightly, praying she didn't drop it.

| **Sans** : what i can say is that i'm a monster. not like the species, but an actual, terrifying monster. i've crushed men under their own weight. i've got doorways spanning the length of space itself. i can summon things from a human's worst nightmare. if you let her go peacefully, then things will go much, much better for you. |  
| **Sans** : but if you don't...well. i'll pass judgement on your soul. i'll see what kind of person you really are, and that'll decide your fate. |  
| **Sans** : but if she's not alive and well when i get there then i'll see that you **_burn in hell_** |

The screen suddenly went black and Kathleen screamed, the phone clattering noisily from her hands as it spun across the tile, an empty battery flashing across the front before the device died completely. She slowly slid down to the floor until she sat against the door frame, hands shaking and eyes wide and rimmed with tears as she stared at the vacant screen where, only seconds before, the most intimidating threats were clear and on display for her. _'What do I do?'_ Distantly she could hear her brother's voice, yelling something unintelligible, and there were a few cries of pain from a few of the captured people in the other room. The weight in her chest grew to impossible levels, and just as a muffled sob came through the door behind her, she felt something solidify within her.

' _I have to do what's right...'_ Getting to her feet, she paused, glancing at the phone with uneasiness before she scooped it up and stowed it away in her jacket pocket again. The door opened and she saw auburn hair whip around as Lena turned to see who was entering, and God, the amount of relief that was on the other woman's face made Kathleen feel an amount of guilt that she wasn't used to. She schooled her expression into one of indifference and walked around the chair, reaching for the table. Her fingertips brushed against the syringe, the glass smooth beneath her fingers, and she hesitated. But, no, she had to do what was right. Picking it up, she carefully removed the plastic cap and held the hypodermic up to the light, squinting as she looked for air bubbles floating around the liquid. She flicked the syringe, the bubbles gathering at the top, and she pushed on the plunger the tiniest bit to release them.

"Wh-what is th-that?" She turned to the woman held captive in front of her and gave a small smile, moving closer and pressing the needle to her forearm until it went just beneath the freckled skin.

"It'll make this whole process a lot easier on you." She injected the transparent fluid, waiting a few seconds for it to travel through the injection site, and slowly pulled the needle out. She mumbled a soft apology when Lena winced at the pain, but already she could see her eyelids growing heavy, the medication working. _'I have to help Devon...'_ Sighing out a quiet breath, she placed the needle back on the table and moved to stand against the wall, waiting for her brother to come.

* * *

' _Humans were so disgusting,'_ they thought to themselves, sighing as they glanced over the room. Three more people had decided to try and escape, which meant that they'd had to rough up perfectly good vessels for no goddamn reason. And why? Because that stupid _bitch_ wasn't thorough enough like they told her to be. Crimson eyes narrowed in irritation at the mere thought, but they didn't dare kill her. Not when she was a piece to their game. Even if she was completely useless outside of being an errand running vessel, she had some purpose.

"Y'think the Boss'll let us play around with that bitch he brought in earlier?" one of the men standing guard asked, and they could see the tent in his slacks from clear across the room. They sneered, _'How absolutely vile.'_ The man saw that he was being watched and quickly took off on another round of 'patrol', the others he'd been talking to dispersing to get back to their jobs, as well. Sure, this vessel may be perfectly fine with letting his men violate people like it was no big deal. Hell, they didn't even care enough about the human to stop them, if they were so keen on it. _'Not until after she kills that comic skeleton for me.'_ The thought brought such an acute sense of glee that they couldn't help the smile that spread wide across their face. Seeing that eternally smiling skull weep in sorrow as it slowly dissolved into dust... They'd enjoy the grit of it between their fingers as they relished in his death. Drawing in a slow breath, they calmed themselves. It wouldn't do well to start giggling in the midst of all these people, not when they were already beginning to act suspicious of them. No, they needed to wait. No sense in celebrating prematurely, afterall. First thing first.

They went to the hatch that stood out strongly from the flat grey concrete floors and wrenched it open, thankful for this vessel's strength, which made the task infinitely easy. The set of stairs that descended into darkness were traveled, two at a time, excitement leaking into every step, and it took everything in them not to break into a joyful, childish skip as they made their way for the store room. The door at the end of the long, dingy corridor was locked several times over, and, after rifling through the massive key ring in their pocket, they slammed the door open and trounced in. Inside, strapped to tables, were monster. A rabbit monster with what was once pristine white fur was curled on her side, her fur matted and filthy, spots missing where she had ripped it out in fits of madness. The others were a dragon monster, its maw strapped shut, a bear monster, and what looked like an over-sized hamster, its once very punkish hairstyle grown out and tangled. They were strapped up to machines that had been re-engineered, abominations changed to fit their needs instead of their intended use. Long, thick tubes were stuck into the monsters' flesh, white, glowing 'liquid' pouring through them to drip into large vials. The dragon monster gave a groan of anguish and, in a small flash of light, he suddenly dissolved, dust scattering across the medical table.

"Tch, weakling..." Seeing its fellow monster perish, the rabbit began crying out weakly, struggling futilely against her restraints as tears dampened the fur below her eyes. "Shut up!" they barked, watching as she flinched and trembled. They would have to yell at the person they'd left in charge of caring for the monsters. Not that being a captive was meant to be comfortable, but they weren't supposed to die...yet. Force-feeding them just enough that they persisted, continuing to produce magic that they could drain straight from their souls. _'They weren't worth keeping alive if they died so easily,'_ they reasoned coolly, grasping one of the warm vials and replacing it with a fresh, empty one. "I wonder how much I should use..." It was a truly puzzling thought. If they used too little, then the soul might not respond...but if they used too much, then the soul could overload and shatter. They'd seen both things happen and, although it made for an impressive light show, they weren't about to let this one die so easily. _'Although... Having a soulless husk to occupy might not be such a bad idea.'_ With an odd smile they opened one of the cabinets overhead, pulling down a large, clean hypodermic needle. They drew all of the 'liquid' magic into it, being sure not to miss a single drop, then they carelessly tossed the now empty vial to the ground, giggling as the monsters all flinched violently at the shattering sound of the glass.

They climbed the steps three at a time, giving a hearty glare at one of their men that had strayed too close to the hatch opening. Curiosity was a common fault of humanity, but the men knew better than to get too close to anything they'd been told to avoid. The man quickly scurried away, eager to avoid punishment, and the door to the basement was closed with a slam of finality. "I'm going to be busy in the back for a little while. Make sure no one gets within fifty yards of this building. Understood?" They spoke in a way that was loud, commanding, and all of his vessel's underlings nodded fervently. "Good." Turning on their heel, they strode into the room where he'd left the human, finding it now empty. A bit of a smile played at his lips. "Well well, looks like she did something right, for once..." A warm, fluttering feeling of pride that was most definitely not their own made them pause, scowling down at the ground and giving their head a firm shake. They couldn't let him come back just yet. Not until after the tests were complete.

The long dark corridor was traversed in seconds, their long legs making easy strides across the dank, musty cement floor, and they gave not even a second's pause before they thrust the door open. Kathleen jumped upright, giving them a smile that was far too nervous. "I see you did what I told you to. You didn't completely fuck this up afterall." Her smile faltered a bit, but she still looked the smallest bit pleased by the backhanded comment nonetheless. They shifted their eyes to the human secured in the chair, held up mostly by the straps binding her. Her face was slack and her eyes glazed over as if she were asleep with her eyes open. _'Good. She's been subdued enough. Now, time to see if this was all worth the trouble...'_ Giving Kathleen a gruff command to "stand back", they reached a hard, calloused hand out to rest just over the human's chest, fingers curling as if grasping something and pulled their arm backward. Immediately the room became bathed in jade-colored light, shining outward from the little green heart-shaped soul they'd just summoned. "Ugh, such a disgusting amount of Kindness..." they muttered under their breath, observing the brightly shining soul before them. It wasn't quite as bright as it could be, though they imagined that perhaps that was all due to current circumstances. They peered closely, leaning in, trying to find any tiny little obscure speck of darkness...but found none. Growling, they turned to glare over their shoulder at Kathleen, who was standing and staring in awe. "Get over here and hold this!" they spat vehemently, and she was quick to respond, rushing forward and reaching out to carefully take the floating soul in her hands. She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes going wide, but they didn't give her the chance to really process whatever it was she felt. They grasped the large hypodermic in both hands and raised it high overhead, grin turning almost manic as they hummed. "This might hurt a bit..." It was almost gleefully that they brought the needle down, stabbing it into the very center of the green heart.

Lena screamed, her muscles all reacting in time and tensing, straining against her bindings. The soul, too, fought against the action, writhing and shuddering in pain, and Kathleen released a breath that sounded more like a sob, fingers curling around the soul almost protectively. They ignored all of that, though, and pushed on the plunger of the needle, injecting the opaque, swirling magic into the very center of her being. The human fell silent, her eyes falling closed as her body went slack, and they thought for certain that she might have died.

Then, a burst of light, and everything faded into white.

* * *

 **[[ YEAh OKAY, SO I KNOW THAT IT'S A CLIFFHANGER, AND I'M SORRY. BUT HEY, I'M ALREADY WORKING ON CHAPTER 44, SO IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! ;;w;;**

 **Come check out the blog (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com) and hit me up with an ask! Got requests for drabbles or one-shots off this series? Send 'em my way! I love you guys and would LOVE to hear from you! Thanks for sticking around so long, and thanks for reading! ]]**


	44. Chapter 44

**[[ Sorry for the roughness of this chapter, and the way it may seem...rushed and messy. I felt rushed because I wanted to get this done before I go on my 'adult weekend' this weekend. (Lots of drinking (semi-responsibly), floating down the river, camping...the whole schebang). ANYWAY. You get a little peek into some of Lena's mind, someone very special to her. You get to see her own form of Determination, and hey, shit progresses, though not as much as most of you would have liked (probably). Love you guys. Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

" _...-na?"_

" _... Lena-bug?"_

" _Ohohoho~! Goodness, lassie, wake up! Ye've been asleep for well near half a day now. We don't want ye join'n the dead."_ The familiar voice was enough to stir her from her unconsciousness, Irish accent thick and soothing, but she couldn't open her eyes. She didn't dare to, what with the amount of light already filtering through her closed eyelids. It already felt so bright that, should she open her eyes, she'd surely be blinded. _"Come now, lassie. Procrastination gets ye nowhere."_ A pained whimper pulled from Lena's throat, feeling that full-body throb wash over her again, and again, and again. Waves of pain, like she were laying on the shore with the high tide, were washing up over her, lapping at her flesh. It ran even deeper, though, like something so essential and so all-encompassing was hurting, and she didn't have any way of easing the pain.

"I can't, Gran. I-I...I c-can't do it..." The familiar voice sighed and Lena felt a hand reach out to thread through her hair, combing it gently out of her face. She sniffled as another wave of pain wracked her body and she shuddered, curling in more tightly on herself. "It hurts..."

" _Yes, lassie, I know. Life oft' does."_

"I-I'm scared..."

" _We're all fearful, Lena-bug. We just have ta walk past it."_

"B-but I... I-I'm going to die. They're g-going to kill m-me!"

" _Now, there won't be nobody killin' no lassie o' mine. Worry not, my sweet, sweet girl. Ye've got our ancestors' blood in ye. It flows strong, in yer heart and in yer soul!"_

"M-my soul...?"

" _Mhmm, aye, yer soul. Yer very kind, lassie. So much so that ye let people take advantage o' ye. Ye let people convince ye that ye aren't as strong as ye actually are."_ The hand petting her hair moved to grab her face gently, cradling her cheeks in both palms, and she could feel worn pads of thumbs brushing away the constant streams of tears from beneath her closed eyelids. _"There's fire in yer soul, child! Stop tryin' ta contain it and let it burn! Yer workin' so hard ta hold yer' self back. Ta hell with that!"_ The thumbs pressed insistently against her eyelids, trying to get her to open her eyes, and, for a moment, she considered it. The light was glowing brighter and brighter, so bright that her eyelids pressed even tighter together to try and keep from blinding herself. _"Let it burn, Lena!"_ Brighter, brighter, too bright, it was too bright, too hot, and suddenly everything was burning.

" _Lig sé sruthán!" ["Let it burn."]_

Over and over, the words kept repeating themselves, compounding and multiplying and increasing until it was all she could hear, until it became a blur of noise that was too loud, too _much_ for her to understand. Her ears rang, and even though she tried to cover them with her hands to block out the noise, it still came through, as if the voices were coming from inside of herself. Then, another voice, still so so familiar, but it had been so long since she'd heard it, it felt like decades. It was faded, soft, like a voice coming from a static-filled video tape.

" _Stay strong, a_ _ _ **thaisce**__ _ _. ...Kill them with kindness." ["...my treasure."]__

* * *

Finding their way to the building was a struggle. With the darkness of night falling all around them and the stars and moon all but blocked out, covered by the thick blanket of clouds overhead, the rag-tag group of monsters found themselves picking their way carefully along the unbeaten path. "They're in a large warehouse," Muffet had said, "About ten minutes out from town." Toriel had asked the spideress more specifically which town, but the sympathetic smile the other had given the ex-queen apparently did not bode well for them. The law was stated firmly that, outside of Taobh, monsters were not allowed to use their magic. Sure, there were grey-areas dependent on whether or not it was justifiable self-defense, but the law had its ways of tilting in favor of humans more often than not. It was a gamble, and Muffet had chosen her strategy well. There was a very, very critical reason why she had chosen for Sans to enter last. 'He's emotionally compromised,' Grillby had agreed easily, glancing back at the skeleton who, currently, was tapping away at his cracked phone screen, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was beginning to lag behind, and Toriel and Grillby shared a glance when his phone began to ring loudly.

Sans saw the contact name and wanted to destroy his phone. 'Please, I can't do this right now...' The ringtone quieted and he held his breath, staring at the phone beseechingly, browbones furrowed sharply. 'Don't call back. Don't call back, don't-' It rang again, buzzing loudly against the hard bones of his palm and he heaved a sigh. A quick tap on the screen and he held the phone up to his skull, eyesockets closed tightly as he could already hear the heavy breathing coming from the other line. "Heya, wassup-"

"You!" Brit shouted, her voice already hoarse, and despite the fact that she was obviously crying, there was an anger and fire in her tone that burned him. "What the fuck did you do?! How could you let her go off alone like that?!" She drew in a shuddering breath and continued, yelling until his metaphorical ears bled. He held the phone steady, continuing his calm walking a few paces behind everyone else, the only semblance of privacy he could manage in the situation he found himself in. "If anything happens to her, I-I-" she struggled, her voice breaking as a loud sob ripped through the phone's receiver. "You're fucking **dead if you don't get her back, do you hear me?!** " He didn't bother to try and defend himself, not only because he already was blaming himself, not only because he agreed with her, but because he knew what she was feeling. He knew what it felt like to fear losing someone you loved so much.

"Kid, if I can't get her back, I'll already be wishin' I was," he said simply, his voice a smooth, even monotone against the chaos.

"You're fucking right you will be. I'll make sure of it. I'll make sure you don't forget. I'll- ... I-I'll fucking k-kill you..." The threat dissolved into loud cries, the kind of sobs that were real, not pretty or composed like they showed in movies. It was painful to hear, and so fucking raw that it made Sans' soul tear at the seams listening to it. He knew she wouldn't actually kill him. The way her voice split into soul-piercing cries, though, kinda made him wish she would.

"We're gonna get her back. No bones about it." There was no laughter at his pun, but he wasn't expecting any. "We're headed to her now, so I gotta go. I give you full permission to kick my ass later, once she's safe." A loud, watery sniff, slightly garbled from the bad connection through his phone, and she muttered something under her breath.

"...Tailbone."

"Heh... Yeah. Kick my tailbone to hell and back, soon as we get her home." Brit drew in a slow, shaky breath, and he could hear more than see her demeanor change.

"I'm counting on you. Bring our girl back." He gave a single dry huff of laughter and buried his face further into the fur lining of his coat, trying to think of what to say when the line went dead. He pulled the phone away and looked at it, thumb brushing across the cracks in its screen. Despite knowing it wouldn't do him any good, he pulled up the last message he'd gotten from her, and the little smiling emoticon brought with it so much dread, despite being something so small.

...His thumbs tapped across the screen quickly, typing out message after message, his eyesockets narrowed as he glared, angrily. Whoever or whatever had her, he was going to make sure they knew exactly what they were getting themselves into.

When Sans finally caught up to the group, the dogs were all growling and barking softly to one another under their breath, Undyne standing over them commandingly while Papyrus continued to glance eagerly between them and her. The language of dogs wasn't one that was commonly known unless you were a dog monster, but, being over them, Undyne had learned enough for her to pick up on. Muffet and Grillby were standing closely to one another in their own conversation, though all of Muffet's eyes continued to shift in Sans' direction. He felt himself stiffen, smile pulling a bit more tensely across his face. Giving a small huff, Undyne folded her arms across her toned chest, scowling out at the open field that they were on the edge of. "Okay, so. There's apparently ten humans patrolling around the building. They're all armed. Guns, semi-automatics, most likely, who knows what else they're carrying..." She grit her teeth together loudly, fangs gnashing together as she glared at the ground. "Apparently they're expecting us. As much as I wanna lay waste to them, though, we need to try and keep casualties to a minimum..." Greater Dog gave a gruff bark, nudging his snout against Doggo's shoulder, who flinched and recoiled slightly.

"Who's- ...Hey, we better hurry. Something's moving, coming this way," he groused, taking a long drag from his dog treat before pausing and holding it out to Sans. The skeleton glanced at it, tempted, but shook his skull. "Captain, what're your orders?" The blue-scaled monster gave a thoughtful frown, looking across the little team of creatures before her. Muffet's advice had already been given, the plans already laid out, and, despite no longer actually being their Captain, she felt a swell of pride in her soul at the eagerness and readiness they had to fight for what was right.

"Papyrus, we're gonna run in." The tall skeleton stood at attention to receive his orders, jaw set rigidly. "You dogs all cover us as we run in, alright? Don't let anyone escape- and I mean anyone. If they're armed, take 'em down peacefully as you can. If they're not then Greater Dog, you keep 'em calm and together so Toriel can look 'em over and heal those who need it."

"PERMISSION TO SET TRAPS, CAPTAIN?" She glanced up and saw an orange spark deep within the skeleton's eyesocket and she grinned, all sharp fangs.

"Permission granted. You take on the north side of the warehouse. Grillby'll take the west, and I'll take the east."

"I am fine with my role to play," Toriel spoke up then, glancing around at the other monsters around her with a small frown. "But what will you be doing, Miss Muffet?" All eyes shifted to the spideress, standing quietly behind the others, and she gave a smile that even unnerved Undyne.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll find something to entertain myself with, worry not...Ahuhuhu~." The former Royal Guard all looked to each other and nodded, a silent word of understanding.

"Sans, you be sure to stick with the plan, alright? If the shit hits the fan, then we'll need you to get people out fast. ...We're counting on you." Sans gave a slow nod, grin slipping slightly under Undyne's intense gaze, but the feel of Papyrus' hand on his shoulder made him feel just a little bit braver.

"Yeah, I can handle that." She nodded, her amber eye flashing dangerously as she trained it just above Dogamy's shoulder. Lesser and Greater Dog immediately began to grow, low and threatening in their throats, lips drawing back to expose their fangs. The light of a flashlight passing between the breaks in the trees illuminated Undyne's face, and it was with an intimidatingly excited grin that she snapped her fingers. Immediately the dogs broke off into a run, Dogamy sticking close to his mate's side, despite how she was the fastest out of all of them.

"Alright, let's go!" A flash of teal light was the prelude to the summon of a magical spear, which Undyne held tightly in both hands, raising it toward the sky as she bellowed out a resounding "NGAHHH!" Papyrus ran ahead, boots moving surprisingly silent across the ground. "Hey, wait for me, punk!" It turned into a race just a few feet from the treeline and, even with the tenseness of the situation, Toriel couldn't help but chuckle at their child-like rivalry and antics.

"Well, Grillby, it seems that they are leaving you behind..." The matronly monster glanced over to the elemental who was straightening his bowtie. A small smile curved up on her muzzle, "I suppose you'll have to ketchup, hm?" The fire monster gave a small crackling laugh, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dress slacks and following the boisterous duo at a more languid pace.

"A fire burns at its own pace, but the damage is all the same."

"Oh Grillby, darling, be a dear and do close up shop quickly. I'd like to be home in time for tea," Muffet cooed, and Sans could've sworn he saw a flash of blue flame flicker across the elemental's features before he nodded. Toriel glanced between the two with a poorly suppressed giggle and leaned down (okay, way down) to elbow Sans in the ribs gently. The skeleton shrugged and gave a huff of a chuckle. "Well, we'd best make our own approach. It seems that the eh...dogs have cleared the perimeter for the moment." The spideress' distaste for the canine monsters was clear and Sans couldn't help the smirk he sent her way.

"It sure is a doggone shame that we can't hang, but I've gotta hightail it outta here." The flash of irritation across her face was so worth the haunting smile she sent his way just before he blipped out of existence. The doorway he opened under his feet swallowed him up whole as he fell into the pitch darkness, the familiar growls soothing. "Nah, not this time. Gotta keep 'em alive..." he told the blasters, reaching out to scritch the large skulls under their jaw. They nuzzled into his palm eagerly. "...then again, I never promised." A small smirk pulled up at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

The far-off growls and snarls of dogs broke the otherwise pristine silence. Clouds slowly moved from overhead and revealed the first few stars, glowing brightly and cutting through the harsh darkness. It was the kind of night that would be considered 'peaceful', if the circumstances were any better. If they weren't currently launching an attack onto a poorly known enemy. A warm light came from behind him as Grillby made to follow, casting their own shadows in front of them. His own skeletal shadow stretched out before him on the ground, and it looked far more menacing than he'd like it to be. After all, he wasn't here to hurt humans! He was here to save his good friend, nothing more. Even with that in mind, though, he couldn't help but prepare himself for battle. Not physically, of course; there was no more preparation to be had there. He trained daily, and Undyne had made sure to keep his skills sharp. Mentally, though, he had to be ready.

'Setting up something to trip those who try to run out through the doors would be wise. I'll use blue attacks to cage any who try to use physical force against us. Hopefully none of them will try and draw their weapons on us...' It was troublesome, indeed. He didn't want to hurt anybody, really. But if it came down to that to protect his friends, could he...? Would he?

"Hey, there they are!" A gruff male voice called out, reaching into his jacket, and before Papyrus could even blink, there was a blue spear pierced through the human's coat, keeping them pinned to the wall behind them. "W-what-" Undyne strode forward, already summoned another spear and held its glowing tip to the human's nose, sneering at him.

"You scream and I kill you," she warned, voice surprisingly quiet, and the human gave a single shaky nod in response. "Papyrus, go." She held the door open, and he immediately stepped inside. The room smelled filthy, it was dark, and there was poor ventilation, leaving the air smelling as well as tasting stale and foul. What sickened him even more however were the sheer number of humans. There were at least fifty of them, cramped so closely together that they hardly had room to move, much less try and escape. Many of them were trembling, shaking and dirty, and even more were crying quietly. A pang of pity washed over his soul at the sight, but he had little time to contemplate it before there was even more shouting. A single gunshot rang out, the sound of the metal roof shaking violently at the impact filling the room. Many of the captives screamed and tried to cover their ears, but failed because their hands were bound.

"If the boss finds out we let them in, he'll kill us!" A group of humans scrambled out from a back room, handguns held tightly in their shaking hands as they pointed them at Papyrus.

"GREETINGS, HUMANS! I FEAR THAT WE MAY HAVE A MISUNDERSTANDING HERE. YOU SEE, YOU'VE TAKEN MY FRIEND-" Gunshots rang out, nearly deafening inside the cramped space of the warehouse, and more screams of terror came from the humans. Papyrus stood behind the fully formed wall of bone in front of him, his right eyesocket engulfed with a faint orange glow, and a sigh slipped past his teeth. "...IT IS QUITE RUDE TO INTERRUPT, HUMANS." They all felt a tugging in their chests and, before they knew what was happening, their souls were tugged from their chests, glowing a deep azure color. They fell to one knee as they struggled to stand against the gravity that suddenly seemed to increase upon them. The wall of bones lowered slowly and Papyrus stood there, bone club held firmly in one hand, tapping it against his shoulder. "AS I WAS SAYING, THERE'S BEEN A TERRIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING... YOU'VE TAKEN MY GOOD FRIEND, AND I, ALONG WITH THE REST OF MY FRIENDS, HAVE COME TO RETRIEVE HER." The looks of fear that grew over the humans' faces as he stepped closer, his taller frame looming over them menacingly. "IF YOU'D KINDLY POINT ME IN HER DIRECTION, THEN WE'LL JUST BE ON OUR WAY!"

"N-...n-no way, man! The boss said we gotta keep you freaks off of 'im til he's done-" One human struggled to lift his gun again, firing off an errant shot that Papyrus blocked with a simple swing of the club. The bullet fell uselessly to the ground with a soft clatter.

"OH? DONE WITH WHAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND MY ASKING?" he asked innocently, eyesockets sweeping over the group of captured men until he came across one that was shaking far harder than the most. All it took was a few seconds of staring at they broke, tears and snot spilling down their face as they caved.

"H-he's doin' something with their s-s-souls! I-I don't know what, b-but we didn't do anything, man!" The crying human ignored the looks of betrayal they got and crawled forward on their knees, gun lying useless on the ground. "P-please, let me go! I-I'll tell you anything you want, I sw-swear!" Papyrus practically beamed, lessening the pressure he exerted on their soul and holding a hand out, offering to help them up.

"CERTAINLY, HUMAN! HERE, ALLOW ME TO-" His glove had just barely brushed their hand when another gunshot rang out, blood splattering onto his chestplate and skull. The human he'd just been reaching for fell limp against the ground, their eyes as vacant as the hole that now lied between them, running clear through their skull. The skeleton's soul froze within his chest, gloved hand trembling where it had been extended, eyesockets wide and staring, disbelievingly, at the now dead human. "...why?" They didn't answer his question with words, instead choosing to fight against gravity and raise their weapons again, His extended hand glowed with orange light and bones immediately sprung forth from the ground, knocking the weapons roughly from their hands "Why would you kill your friend?" he asked, browbones furrowed as he slowly got to his feet, gripping the club more tightly. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" The blue glow surrounding their souls grew brighter and they cried out as they fell to the ground completely, lying prostrate. "THERE IS NO GOOD REASON FOR YOU TO KILL THEM. THEY WERE...THEY WERE TURNING TO GOOD! YOU STOLE THEIR CHANCE OF BEING GOOD!" The glow around his socket blazed and he swung his bone club in an arc out in front of him, summoning row after row of ethereal blue bones. They rose up from the ground in waves, washing over the humans before they stopped, trapping each one of them in a cage. When he finally lowered his hand Papyrus sighed heavily, turning away from the now captive group with downcast eyes. "I AM NOT ANGRY AT YOU, HUMANS...I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED."

"Hey, Papyrus! Did ya get all the ones in here?!" Undyne burst through the door, a huge, burly man held under her arm effortlessly in a headlock, despite his attempts to kick away. "Woah, nice work! I'm impressed-" She cut herself off seeing the skeleton's forlorn expression and, seeing the dead human, sighed heavily and pulled him in for a one-armed hug. "Hey, don't worry about it, Papyrus. It wasn't your fault. Let's just be thankful it wasn't one of the innocent humans!" Papyrus nodded slowly, glancing up at Undyne with a small smile. "See, there ya go! That's more like it! Now, how about we try and get all these other guys out of here?"

"YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, UNDYNE. WE SHOULD GET THEM OUT OF HARM'S WAY-"

A scream echoed throughout the entire warehouse, its sound so excruciating and fearful that it made their magic run cold. Papyrus looked over to Undyne to see that her ear fins had flattened against the sides of her face, her mouth agape and one uncovered eye wide as she stared, the question on her face the same one burning in his skull.

'Why did that sound familiar?'

* * *

"Hey, over there! Did one of you idiots start a fire- AUGH!" Sans ducked as a fireball flew past his skull, narrowly avoiding singeing his jacket as the projectile landed a few yards away from him, scattering into a mass of flames that spread across the dry grass. The human that had been standing there was lying a few feet away, eyes widened with shock and fear, and Sans turned just as Grillby approached, his flames heightened and burning brighter than he'd ever seen them.

"Heh, geez, singe when are you such a hotshot, Grillbz?" A soft hissing sigh, like the sound of escaping steam, and Grillby shook his head dismissively. "Rough crowd, eh? Heheh...'s alright, I wasn't really tryin' with those last few, so I'm coal with it." His hands, which were shoved deep within the pockets of his jacket, clenched and unclenched into nervous fists, the bones of his fingers rubbing together and making a soft grating sound. The elemental tipped his head questioningly to one side, flames flickering softly, and Sans sighed. "Yeah, 'm fine, Grillbz. Just...uneasy. I'll feel better when my girl's back home with me." His eyelights swept over the field which was covered with little groups of humans, their blindfolds and bags covering their heads removed while the dogs went about the slow task of cutting the ropes binding their wrists. Many of them were injured, sick, and fatigued, and though Toriel was doing her best, she wasn't able to heal all of them.

"It is fairly sickening, isn't it? What humans will do to their own kind." Sans gave a small grunt, shrugging his shoulders in a way that was meant to come off as indifferent but felt and looked more stiff and unsure than anything. A warm hand landed on his shoulder and he glanced up at the fire monster, forcing a grin. Grillby gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, flames brightening for a moment as he opened his mouth to speak-

Even across the field, above the sounds of dozens of human voices and barking dogs and shouting, above his own voice anxiously jabbering away within his skull, he could hear the scream. Like something out of a goddamn movie, an eerie silence fell over the entire area, everyone looking around in confusion. He stood frozen for all of three seconds, struggling to comprehend what he was hearing, because no, it wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible, that he was hearing what he thought he was hearing.

'...Lena?'

The voices around him all drowned out into static, filling his skull and overflowing, digging deep into the marrow of his bones, fusing with his magic, which was already trying to react without his say. His instincts were screaming at him, to move, to run, do something, but he was frozen...until he heard something else. Beneath the strained voice crying out vocally, even deeper, he could hear- no, he could feel her very soul crying out for him, beating in pain, in fear, and something in him snapped. His eyesockets went dark and he wrenched Grillby's hand off of his shoulder, ignoring the elemental's pleas and cries of his name as he thrust himself into the void. The darkness was all-encompassing, overwhelming, but somewhere ahead of him, there was a small glimmer of green light, soft and familiar. His soul pressed against his ribs, reaching, longing for it, and he allowed his soul to guide him. He closed his eyesockets tightly and fell through the Void, having hope that his soul and magic wouldn't lead him astray.

* * *

It was hard to hold things together when everything felt like it was falling apart...even if the person who loved you the most was laughing in the most menacing and un-hinged way. Kathleen held the poor, pain-riddled soul in her hands, struggling to process the emotions and thoughts that were swimming around in her head and heart- feelings that were not entirely her own. Devon grabbed her wrist in a bruising grip, bringing it close to his face. His crimson-stained eyes ran over its surface greedily, mouth parting in a grin so sharp that Kathleen swore it should have cut into his cheeks. "Yes...Yes! She isn't self-destructing!" he raved, another manic giggle spilling past his lips, though he didn't even try to stifle them. "This could be it.. This could be it! If I can succeed here, once I have her soul, I'll be able to move onto the next step. I'll be able to tear that goddamn insufferable comedian into teeny tiny pieces!" The syringe was still deeply embedded within the writhing green soul, its heart-shape rippling along its 'edges' in pain as though it were trying to get away. "Ha! How pathetic! You don't even fight back when your life is in danger!" He grasped Kathleen's hand and forced her to squeeze the soul forcibly, long, manicured nails digging into its surface, and another cry of pain welled up from Lena's lungs. "C'mon, why not just give up no-"

A blinding flash of white filled the room for all but a second before it slowly drew itself inward toward her soul, circling into a spiral at its very center where it had been punctured. The magic was foreign, and the soul tried to reject it but, somehow, refused. A thin green shell began to coat the heart-shaped soul, slowly expanding, growing, moving outwards until it engulfed her entire body. Kathleen and Devon were both forced back by its magic, Chara hissing a curse in pain as the shield burned their darker essence. It was in that same moment that a loud popping sound filled the room, the sound of air being forced into a space it wasn't meant to occupy, and the only warning Chara had was the faintest scent of ozone before they were staring into empty eyesockets. Sans' grin was stretched so widely across his face but, despite that, he looked menacing.

"Wassup, bub...?"

* * *

 **[[ And there you have it. Sorry for yet another cliffhanger, but I'm gonna be working on a long chapter to make up for all these shorter ones, AND it'll be one that explains a lot of things and starts getting into the meat of this confrontation. So, for that reason, I'll be NOT writing this entire weekend (Friday included) because of the 'adult float trip'. I'll start writing again on Sunday evening or Monday, and I'll be planning to have the next chapter up by next weekend at the latest. I'm hoping I can get it up sooner.**

 **Thanks you guys so much for reading! I really, really hope you liked it! Be sure to leave me a comment, stalk the blog (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com), send me tons of asks, requests and messages there, or just go to check out all the art. I have awesome submissions from people that I love very much, and I dig it! Love you! ]]**


	45. Chapter 45

**[[ As a random note: I really _really_ like the thought of Sans losing his 'lazy' speech patterns when he's being all serious and intimidating...like, a lot.**

 **There's a lot that happens in this chapter, and I'm sorry if it seems kind of convoluted or confusing. Direct any and all questions to my askbox on Tumblr and I'll be more than happy to answer anything I may have left a little confusing! Also, I'm posting this after midnight, so if there are any errors, please just PM me and I'll fix them if I don't notice them on my own. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! The tension is coming to a breaking point! So strap in and prepare yourself for some shit to go down. ]]**

* * *

It was only three syllables, but the way it was said, so deeply in that normally smooth baritone, made it almost sound enough like a growl that it felt more menacing than any threat. It was hollow and deep, shaking Kathleen to her very core, and she was quick to realize that _this_ was the person who had sent those text messages. She recognized the skeletal face, though his eye sockets were completely devoid of any light now, and the green glow being cast from the still-captive human's soul bathed across his bones in a way that was absolutely haunting. Her legs began to tremble as she struggled to get to her feet, backing away until she was pressing against the cold steel of the wall behind her. _'He's going to kill me. He'll recognize me, realize who I am, and he's going to kill me. Oh god, oh god-'_ Devon's pleased laughter pulled her from her thoughts and, when she glanced over, she hardly recognized him. ...Though, really, how often had she been thinking that? How long had it been since she first thought that the semblance was lost? Her brother was never a good person, but the type of cruelty and hatred he'd been displaying was inhuman. He'd never been this bitter. His heart was never this ice cold, lifeless.

"Smiley trashbag! It's been too long!" her brother said, sounding far too happy with the situation at hand. She only briefly wondered why he seemed to know this monster that was now a very threatening presence in the room, but that thought was derailed by a shrill tearing sound filling the air. It disturbed the space and where, in one moment, the room was fine, she blinked...and everything went to hell.

The skeleton's jacket was billowing in an invisible breeze, pulling backward against his solid frame and toward the...the what? Her mind could barely even wrap around what she was seeing. It was the darkest place she'd ever laid eyes upon. It was solid, yet not, its darkness swirling and colliding and mixing and she wanted to vomit suddenly, and she didn't know why. Why...no, _how_ could something so dark exist? Why was it there? What had once been the door leading out of the little room was now a torn fragment of darkness, and suddenly nothing made sense. Did emptiness have a sound? If it did, she's fairly certain that's what she was hearing now. The emptiness and darkness was pressing against her ears so closely that she was going to go deaf, go blind, and she still couldn't imagine how something like that could exist. ...She was fairly certain that it _shouldn't_. As bile worked its way up her throat she turned her head, swallowing hard to try and compose herself.

"What's the matter, bitch? Don't like what you see?" the skeleton asked, his voice hollow, save for the undercurrent of rage. His left eye socket, which was once empty, now held a blue orb of light- or was it yellow? No, she's fairly certain it was blue, with only little flashes of the golden light shining through as he looked her over. It was a gaze full of judgment, and she felt something deep inside herself stir. A crawling sensation crept down her spine and she shuddered, gagging as her eyes flickered back to the darkness directly behind his skull. "This is the Void. Humans aren't supposed to see it, but, I figure, with the way you've been acting..." The glow of his eye socket increased, casting more light that cast shifting shadows across the arches of his brow and cheekbones. " **You don't deserve to be called human** **.** " It felt like an electric bolt struck her right through the heart, and tears sprang to her eyes just as she managed to swallow down another round of bile, the acid leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. The monster chuckled darkly and gave her a smile, though it lacked any mirth or goodness. She swore she saw his teeth part momentarily, revealing a set of fangs that glinted in the green-blue-yellow light.

"She's garbage, but she has her uses," Devon piped up nonchalantly, and Kathleen _felt_ more than saw the animosity in Sans' gaze as it shifted to her brother. She was so afraid that she couldn't even properly feel offended. _'Because they're right. I...I'm awful.'_ Her eyes cast themselves over to the unconscious human, the transparent green shell still wrapping her up in a protective bubble of magic. She recalled the things she felt as she held the other woman's very soul in her hands and felt the greatest amount of shame and guilt she remembered having. _'Lena...'_ She took a tentative step closer to the shield, reaching a hand out to try and touch it, try to help her, but something bright blue flashed past her head, narrowly missing her by mere inches. The rough sound of twisting metal broke the unsettling silence and she froze, turning her head slowly to see a glowing blue bone embedded in the steel. The strength left her legs and she fell to her knees, shakily turning back to Sans, who had his left hand held out in front of him, a growl rumbling from him more menacing than any animal.

" **Don't touch her** ," he snarled, wisps of blue magic curling and licking along the side of his skull as they drifted from his left eye socket, like an ethereal mix between smoke and flames. She felt her mascara running thickly down her cheeks as she cried, but it was the furthest thing from her mind. She'd just been inches from death... _She could have died!_ ...and Devon didn't seem bothered in the slightest. If anything, he looked amused.

"Another funny from the comedian! It's not like she could anyway, even if she wanted to." The skeleton's eye sockets narrowed dangerously, and he gnashed his teeth loudly as another growl ripped from him.

"What did you do to her, brat?" he asked, though it was less of a question and more of a demand for an answer with the way it was said. Devon scoffed and shrugged his shoulders, the grin on his face teasing and cruel.

"Who, me? Why do you assume I did anything to your precious mate- ...oh, I'm sorry. I know you haven't gotten that far yet. I meant to say 'friend.'" The high-pitched, childlike giggle that bubbled from her brother's lips sounded distorted, growing almost manic as Sans' face contorted into a rage-filled glare. Skeletons were made of bone, _how was he able to make such a terrifying expression_? "Heheh, what, did I hit a nerve? Funny, seeing as you don't have any!" Another low, menacing growl, and Devon rolled his eyes at him. "You're being so easy right now, letting me get _under your skin_...but not as easily as it was to get under _hers_." His lips twisted into a cruel smile, shoulders shaking with unrestrained giggling. Kathleen's ice blue eyes stared at him, vision blurred with overflowing tears, and she furrowed her brows as a cold, thick feeling of shame washed over her.

' _Who...who is this? Who have I been looking at, been speaking to, for the last however many months..?'_

A feeling of golden light welling up inside her made her stumble, pushing away the vile guilt for just a moment and, her lips pressing into a thin line, she made her decision.

' _I have to do what's right...'_

* * *

Everything was too bright, too cold, _too much_. It hurt. Every single thing hurt, from the soles of her feet to the hairs on the very top of her head. Her entire _being_ felt like it was surging, being forced through a sieve as something foreign and _not gentle_ forced its way inside her. She didn't know what it was, she didn't know what _she_ was, even. In that very moment, she found her mind blank, save for a single, solitary thought.

' _Make it stop.'_

The pain was immense, the sensation of being overfilled with _something_ leaving her feeling stretched thin, worn, fragile. Tears poured from her open but unseeing eyes, irises hidden as they'd rolled upward, like they couldn't bear the sight of what had just happened and they were trying to escape to the back of her skull. Her body throbbed and burned, and she wanted to scream, but she couldn't. Her breath had been lost after the initial scream, and her entire body was so tensed, muscles pulled taught as a violin string, that she couldn't draw breath. Were it not for the straps binding her, she most certainly would have fallen from the chair and to the floor to writhe in pain. But she didn't, and so she was held captive, leather rubbing her skin raw as she arched with more strength she should have possessed.

Yet through the cold agony afflicting her body, she felt something warm brush against her sternum, and though she had no physical capacity to look down to see it, she knew what it was. The little silver locket that she rarely ever removed, the precious gift that it was, had remained. She'd been certain it would've been stolen as soon as she was unconscious, but no. It was still there.

Despite everything, _he_ was still there, comforting her.

' _Sometimes kindness is enough...'_ The familiar voice whispered to her again, and then, with a flash of light behind her eyes, she felt that warmth beginning to spread. It enveloped her, like the blankets she'd be snuggled up in when she was younger, swaddling her in comfort and protection. _'Don't let them dim your light.'_ The surging feeling within her soul lessened a bit, and though the pain was still immense, she felt less like she was about to shatter into pieces.

 _'You sleep, sweetheart. I'll protect you until morning.'_

Soothed and exhausted, she submit herself to the warmth, her mind fading into nothingness as everything around her faded from existence.

* * *

The air was thick with magical energy and, though not all of it was expected, Devon's lips spread into a wide, almost ecstatic smile. The 'test' had been a success! The magic was being wielded, obviously by the shield that had encased her, and though it didn't seem to be incredibly powerful, it had enough energy thrumming through its transparent, glass-like surface that they didn't dare touch it. They didn't know what it was capable of, and they had no desire to be alienated from the body they'd wrangled.

' _She's not dead yet, so surely it means she's capable.'_ Their eyes flickered from the green-tinged 'bubble' of magic toward the source of growling in the room and, more importantly, the vast rift of darkness behind him. They felt their eyes crinkle as their smile widened even further, lips curling cruelly. _'Him showing up at this exact moment is...inconvenient. But I can still make this work for me.'_ An amused giggle spilled past their lips and they watched as already narrow sockets turned to mere slits, the fierce glow of magic spilling from the left socket with the ferocity of a flame.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?" Another bone flew forth with unseen speed and lodged itself in the hard cement, inches from Devon's right foot. They only laughed harder, their arms moving to wrap around their stomach as they doubled over in their mirth. "Answer me! _What did you do to her?_ " The cyan-glow increased, and behind them, they could hear Kathleen suck in a terrified breath. _'How useless.'_ Slowly straightening themselves up, the narrowed their crimson eyes at the enraged skeleton, rolling their shoulders.

"I just helped bring out her _potential_. You should be thanking me, Sans." The way they said his name made the monster standing before them stiffen, teeth grinding together noisily. "I honestly don't see how you're so attached to something so... _revolting_. The amount of Determination she lacks is embarrassing, and the way her soul is so _kind_ is sickening."

" **You don't talk about her like that**." A loud groaning sound came from the rift, and they were unsurprised to see the massive animalistic skull floating forth, maw already parting and crackling with a ferocious white light. They gave an unimpressed snort and crossed their arms.

"You're not intimidating anyone here with that. Well..." Glancing behind them at Kathleen from the corner of their eye, they gave her a sweet smile. "Nobody _important._ " The crestfallen look on her face wasn't nearly as pleasing as they'd have liked it to be, but they simply shrugged, turning back to the skeleton who was glaring holes through them. "You'd dare to kill a human? You'd just end up with all your friends trapped underground again! You'd make Frisk reset, and...well..." Something dangerous flashed across their gaze. "Maybe I'd be able to have more say this time around."

* * *

It was infuriating.

Not just the insults, not just having her captured, not even having _her_ insulted. No, it was something exceedingly simple. It was something that he _knew_ , but he was even more angry that he knew.

It was that his foe, the very threat to everything he knew and loved, everyone he knew and loved, was right in front of him, and _he couldn't do a goddamn thing about it._ Pain stabbed at his teeth as they cracked under the pressure of him grinding them together while the rest of him stood ramrod straight, all of his attention poured into two things.

One was Lena, whose soul was still crying out desperately for him, and, even though they were so close, he felt just as far away as he had been sitting in Grillby's. The expression of torment and suffering on her face was enough to want to bring him to his knees, but he stood against it. He wasn't going to move, if only so he could make sure that she was safer in his presence.

The other reason was keeping his magic under control before he 'accidentally' unleashed a horde of blasters that brought the whole goddamn warehouse to the ground.

Though his right socket was still completely empty, his left flickered over to glance at the woman who'd moved to cower against the wall, and a sick little spark of pleasure curled in his soul at the terrified expression on her face. _'Good,'_ he thought, the blaster behind him giving a resounding rumble of a growl, so low and powerful that it shook the steel walls. She deserved to feel all of the fear that he knew Lena had felt. _'She deserves a hell of a lot more than that...'_ The thought of dunking her was so tempting, but he resisted. Because, despite how enraging it was, Chara was right. If he killed her- hell, if he even injured her with his magic, then all of monsterkind would be set back.

"What's the matter, Mr. Skeleman? Got no backbone left?" The unnaturally high-pitch of the child's voice seeped through the human's they'd possessed, and it sent tremors through his bones that were less from fear and more from anger. Behind them, Kathleen started to move, and he snapped his bony fingers, a surge of ethereal blue bones rising from the ground all around her. She screamed and fell back onto her ass on the ground, and he wanted to laugh at the way her perfect makeup was now running down her face in disgusting trails.

"You're gonna hang tight, kiddo," he mumbled, smiling as she, once again, looked like she was seconds from vomiting.

Surely this amount of enjoyment from her pain wasn't healthy for his soul.

...but, really, he couldn't bring himself to care in that moment.

"Skewer her if you want! I really could care less what happens to her." Sans saw the hurt look on her face, but paid it no mind, his gaze instead moving to rest on Chara. Their borrowed face was holding a look of pure indifference, their arms unfolding themselves from in front of their chest to instead shrug their shoulders, hands held palm-up at their sides. "You should know how, right? Afterall, how many times was it you _killed Frisk-_ "

A bone rose from the cement underneath Devon's shoe, sending them stumbling backwards slightly, a surprised look crossing over their crimson eyes. "Yeah, see, that's not going to work this time around," he began, the bone slowly sinking back into the earth before it dissolved into nothingness. "Your first mistake was leaving the Underground, but let's give you grace and say you just wanted to get out of that cramped cave. That's fine..." Another bone rose, stopping just short of their nose, and they flinched backward slightly, body uncoordinated, and he grinned to himself. They probably weren't familiar with that type of body after so long possessing Frisk. "Coming to fuck around with me I can forgive, too. We've got beef going way back, so I get it. You hate everything, I can't fucking stand you. It's cool." He took a step forward, slippers shuffling far louder against the ground than they should have as he got into a loose stance, feet shoulder's width apart. "But when you decided to come after my family and kidnap my girl... **That's where you fucked up**."

* * *

There was a physical shift in the air. As the gaping rift in space behind the skeleton monster slowly knitted itself closed again, the feeling of emptiness in the room dissipated slowly. It was almost so similar to opening a bottle of soda, the hiss of pressure being released, only instead of the pressure leaving, it was returning. The gravity of the situation was finally being allowed to weigh completely on them, and the amount of tension that settled across the room was tangible. Giving the glowing blue bones surrounding her a wary look, Kathleen finally allowed her eyes to settle on Sans, the threat of the Void now gone. She swallowed back a thick wave of nausea as she met his gaze, realizing that he was looking at her in a way that was only able to be described as vengeful. He hated her, she knew that. If he had done the things she'd done to someone she loved, she was certain she'd hate him, too. She was alright with that. She could accept that...

...but still, she needed his help, and she wasn't going to be able to help him without it. Needing someone to help you to help them sounded like one of those overly-complicated ideas that people used as a saying but, in reality, would be too difficult to carry out. If someone has to help you to help them, then do they really need the help that badly in the first place? Why can't they just help themselves?

Except that she was the _only one_ who could help him, and she couldn't do a damn thing until he _trusted her_ to do that. She didn't deserve even the idea of that trust, and she knew that...but she felt a warm glimmer of something inside her chest, telling her that, despite that, she had to keep trying. She had to do what was _right_.

Cementing the decision in her mind, she thrust her hand out to knock the bones holding her captive aside, only for her hand to phase right through. Pain immediately riddled her body, mostly centered on her hand and wrist, but it spread everywhere. She bit back a short cry of pain and withdrew her arm, clutching it tightly to her chest, feeling an odd sensation of emptiness there. Briefly she panicked, wondering just what the magic had done to her. She didn't know much about it. But then she saw the cartoonishly shaped heart floating in front of her, between her sternum and the bones, and she realized what it was. It was...not what she expected. Its hue was that of a dull mustard yellow, and even though she'd never seen it before, she knew it wasn't entirely right. She glanced up to make sure her brother- no, that _They_ hadn't noticed it, only to catch the skeleton staring deeply at her chest. _'No, at my soul...'_ There, in the very center, was a small starburst-shaped spot that was significantly brighter, clearer. It shone with a soft gold light, like sunlight, only richer. She looked at him imploringly, her vision cloudy through tears and runny mascara, but he glared at her just before tearing his gaze away from her soul, looking back up at Them in a way that spoke volumes, despite him not saying a single word. She caught the smallest bit of movement from the corner of her eye, then, suddenly, They had rushed forward toward Sans.

The silver glint of steel felt so much colder compared to the light coming from her soul, and seeing it alone made her shudder. Her soul shuddered with her, moving away from it, from the body and face of her brother, and if she wasn't sure before, the she definitely was now. Her hands groped around on the ground blindly, fingertips brushing against smooth glass, and as she curled her fingers around it, she realized what it was and decided to act. She held it tightly in her hand and pushed herself to her feet, feeling the tremors in her legs lessen bit by bit as she steadied herself. With the plunger of the large needle against her palm, she held it with her other hand with the needle pointed outward, locking her shoulder as she ran forward. The blue bones phased through her shins, and despite the pain that wracked her, she didn't stop. Her heels had fallen off at some point, she couldn't remember when, but she didn't care. She caught the barest glance of Sans' face, his eyesockets widening in shock only momentarily as stepped fluidly to the side, leaving Them standing alone. She caught them just before they could turn around, driving the thick steel needle into their lower back, close to their spine. Her brother's voice cried out in pain, mingling with a much higher tone that wasn't his, and she had all of three seconds to contemplate who it was before she felt an elbow being driven into her temple. She fell onto her back, head spinning slightly as she looked up at Them, their face drawn tight in rage.

" _You useless piece of shit-_ " They drew their arm above their head, knife due to drive straight into her chest, and she held her arms up over her head protectively, as if they alone could stop it. Her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she awaited her fate. The sound of metal bouncing off of something solid rang out loudly in the small room, and she cracked an eye open just enough to catch sight of a bone jutting from the ground, just managing to block the blow. _"This is why humans are disgusting!"_ They raved, breathing harshly as their eyes glowed an even sharper hue of red, voice sounding even more distorted. _"They're not loyal to anyone but themselves. Not even to their own blood...and monsters are no better."_ She scrambled backward as they swung again, and though no bone came to protect her this time, she just managed to avoid it. _"You all deserve to die. All of you."_

"Nah, kid," Sans piped up, holding his left hand out, glowing a faint blue, and summoning a row of bones to jut from the concrete, pinning Them to the wall. "You just met all the wrong ones." They struggled against the bones, their grip on the knife tightening until their knuckles were a ghostly white. "I've met humans who are more loyal than some monsters I know. And, for every bit of LOVE you got..." The feral blue eyelight glanced to the unconscious woman still protected by the green magical shield, his expression softening for a fraction of a second before he returned his gaze to Them, glaring hard. "...they've got twice as much love. You're not gonna get away with your little tantrum, brat." Their lips curled back into a snarl, exposing yellowed teeth and pink gums, but then a sudden peace seemed to come over them, expression falling into a smile.

" _You think love is all you need? Think kindness is enough?_ " A small flash of something vulnerable appeared in those blood-colored eyes, but it was too fleeting, soon replaced with a cold apathy. " _It's not. It never has been, and it never will be. You'll realize that soon enough._ " Sans growled and his fingers twitched, the bones pressing closer, pushing the air from Their lungs. " _I've found the third soul I need... I only need four more..._ "

"For what? What're you planning?" the skeletal monster pressed, but the only answer he received was a high, keening giggle, one so manic that Kathleen covered her ears. When the laughter finally died out, there was a sharp silence, only broken by harsh breathing and coughing as They doubled over. Sans watched them warily, magic flaring and ready to strike as soon as it was necessary. After a moment, Devon gave a soft groan, blearily looking around. Kathleen felt her stomach drop to the ground as she met similar ice blue eyes.

"Kath...?" Devon's voice was thick and pained, and she began to tremble as realization washed over her. She heard Sans mutter a curse under his breath, pulling back his bone attacks just a bit so the human could breathe easier. "What... Y-you... You stabbed me...?" The amount of disbelief in his tone was palpable, and it sent a surging guilt through her, despite her previous sureness. "You... Y-you fucking stabbed me?! Me?!" She tore her eyes away to the ground, becoming blinded by her tears, and as she fisted her hands tightly in the material of her skirt, she told herself over and over that she'd been right. " _LOOK AT ME!_ " She flinched bodily, fear spiking through her so strong that she raised her hands again to cover her head. _"KATHLEEN, GET OVER HERE AND FUCKING HELP ME!"_ Flashes of memories and images appeared in her mind, and she felt herself lash out.

"Stay back!" A small burst of light came from the heart floating upside down in front of her (had it always been like that?), and she heard Devon give a sharp cry of pain before falling silent.

* * *

Sans didn't care about the human woman who'd hurt his Lena. He didn't. Whatever shit happened between her and her fucked up brother was her business, and he didn't want to care about it at all. ...That very quickly became impossible as he watched her soul invert itself and fire a _fucking projectile_ at the captive man. It was small, just a little burst of golden-colored light, but it flew with such speed and intent toward her brother that he could only think one thing: _she just used magic._ She was infinitely more dangerous than he had expected, and he realized that, despite her attempt to help him, she was a threat.

Chara- no, Devon, fell limp against the bones holding him, and it was only after a few long seconds of certainty that he was unconscious that Sans released his magic, bones dissipating immediately and Devon's body falling hard to the floor. He's almost certain he heard something crack on the way down, and he tried not to grimace at the sound of bone bouncing off the concrete. ( _A not-so-distant memory of Lena doing that very same thing played vividly in his mind, and he forcibly shoved the thought off._ ) A quick glance to see that he wasn't moving aside from the subtle rise and fall of his chest was all Sans gave before he strode across the room, flicking his index finger upward to point toward the ceiling. The yellow soul in front of him quickly turned a deep shade of blue as it rose, bringing the human with it to hover just a few inches off the ground. He twisted his wrist and curled his finger in a 'come hither' motion and she floated closer, her glacial blue eyes wide with fear.

"Look," he groused, his voice rough as he made eye-contact with her and, though she looked like she so badly wanted to hide, he gave her credit for maintaining it. "I don't know what that stunt you just pulled was all about, but let's get something straight. If you mess with _anyone_ from my little family, _ever..._ " She was already nodding, heaving with breathless sobs, but no, he wasn't about to let this go unsaid. He pointed to the floor and she fell, landing on her knees just in front of him, leaving her at about chest-height to him. His mouth twisted into a horrifying grimace. " **You'll wish you were dead . . .** Got it?" The smell of ammonia permeated the air as liquid pooled around her knees, and she gave a loud sob as she nodded tearfully, and he was quick to release his magic and step over to the center of the room. His magic faded and his sockets were empty once again, brows knit as he looked through the transparent barrier holding Lena inside. Her body was still wrenched taut, and her chest wasn't moving with its usual rhythmic breathing. Hesitantly he held a hand up, touching the shield. Almost immediately it snapped back at him, and he just barely managed to pull away from it before he took any real damage. The barrier shimmered slightly, warping and shivering, then it went still. He waited to see if anything would happen and, when it didn't, he held his hand out again.

He almost wanted to cry when it went right through.

Immediately he lunged into it, bony fingers deftly undoing all of the leather straps. He'd just managed to get the last one undone when the door burst open, Papyrus standing there with a bone club in hand, right socket glowing a fierce orange.

"LENA, ARE YOU-" The taller skeleton saw his brother and immediately gave a sigh of relief. "THANK GOODNESS YOU FOUND HER, SANS. I WAS MOST CONcerned..." His voice trailed off quietly as he took notice of the second human in the room, a look of familiarity passing over his face before it pulled into a strained smile. "AH. HELLO, HUMAN. ARE YOU INJURE-"

" **Don't.** " Sans voice cut sharply through the room, and Papyrus looked over at him to give him a scolding, but the words died when he saw him. His brother was holding the stiff, unmoving Lena in his arms, trying to find a comfortable way to hold her. His left eye was flashing, emotions obviously on the rise. Papyrus reached a gloved hand out to rest on his shoulder, not missing the way he flinched beneath his touch.

"GO, BROTHER. FIND HER MAJESTY AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR HUMAN. I WILL DEAL WITH THIS ONE." Sans gave a quick nod and, the instant the other's hand was off of him, he cut a doorway in the air in front of him. Ignoring the small shocked noise from behind him, he tightened his hold on Lena and walked through, stepping out just on the outskirts of the singed field he remembered leaving. The matronly monster was already waiting for him, her expression sorrowful and taut with concern as she looked the human over. He knew she was wondering what had happened, and he couldn't even tell her. Chara hadn't given him a single fucking bit of useful information, and he was completely useless without it, he-

"Come, friend," the ex-Queen said softly, reaching a heavy paw out to rest on his shoulder. "Let us return home. We will all need some butterscotch-cinnamon pie after a night like this."

And, despite feeling nauseous without a stomach, despite the thought that eating was the very last thing he _ever_ wanted to do in a moment like this, he nodded, silent because he didn't trust his voice. His left eye flared a bright blue and he felt her tighten her hold, leaning down and enveloping both him and the unconscious human in an embrace. It took him a few seconds longer than it should have in order to create a doorway through space to get them home.

* * *

Toriel sat a small plate and fork holding far too large a piece of pie on the coffee table in front of Sans, next to the cup of now cold tea that he'd refused to touch. She breathed a silent sigh and looked over her friend worriedly, not missing the way his fingers twitched against his skull as he held it in his hands. His shoulders were hunched and tense, spine bent at an uncomfortable angle. She wasn't a mind reader, but it was painfully obvious that he was distraught, and it was upsetting to know that she could do very little to ease his mind.

" _The evidence suggests that her soul took damage directly...and there's the presence of magic."_

" _Yeah, told ya she made a shield-thing," he muttered quietly, knee bouncing in an effort to get rid of even a fraction of his anxious tension. It didn't help. She sighed and drummed her claw tips against her lap, trying to breech the subject gently._

" _Yes, well...the magic isn't hers." His skull snapped up violently at that, neck cracking, and she winced only slightly before she continued on. "The type of magic does not fit. She..." Drawing a small breath, she lowered her gaze to her empty teacup sitting on the coffee table. "It would appear that she was...forcibly given the magic by unnatural means." A low, rumbling growl came from across the table and she looked up, not surprised to find his eyesockets completely devoid of light and his fingers gripping roughly at the edge of the coffee table. He left deep gouges in the wood, but she didn't pay it any mind. She can't say she blamed him for his reaction. "It is...uncertain how she will respond to it until she wakes up. The fact that her soul was not immediately shattered should be taken as good news."_

" _When will she wake up?"_

" _I do not know..."_

She had turned away all other visitors for the time being, but burdening Papyrus with the sole duty of healing everyone was taxing and unfair. Drawing in a slow, even breath, she sat up a bit and leaned across the table, rapping her claws gently against the wood to get his attention. The way he flinched let her know she'd made the right choice in doing so.

"Sans. Take her home. I am but a call away." He glanced up at her then, slowly, his face full of uncertainty, and she gave him a patient smile. "You know her soul better than any of us. Who better, then, to watch over her than you?" She then slowly reached a paw out to pull one of his hands away from his skull, giving it a squeeze. "And who better to greet her when she wakes up than you?" His phalanges twitched around her paw, and she released his hand to clear away the dishes on the table. She gathered them and stood to take them into the kitchen, turning to speak to him over her shoulder as she left the room. "I will be sending you home with the rest of this pie. Be sure Lena eats some when she wakes up, yes?" The teacups and saucers went into the sink to be rinsed later, and she pulled out some foil to cover the pie tin. "And don't let her say she's on a diet or something equally foolish!" She heard the dry chuckle from the living room and felt like she could count it as a tiny victory, for what it was.

"Yeah, sure Tori..." Her gracefully silent footsteps brought her back into the room she left him in, pie tin held out in her paws as Sans slowly got to his feet. "Hey, uh...we got somethin' we need to talk about. Pretty important..." He seemed like he might have looked guilty if he wasn't so exhausted, and she gave a small sigh and nodded.

"I believe we do...but it can wait until your human is well." The look of surprise on his face made her chuckle, and she turned to lead him down the hall to her bedroom where she'd left the human. "Ah! My child, what are you doing up?" Frisk stood in the hallway, their brown eyes wide with conflicting emotion. They ducked past Toriel and ran straight to Sans, throwing their arms around their middle and burying their face in his chest, lips moving soundlessly as wetness soaked through his shirt. And he suddenly looked even more weary, if it were possible, like he were suddenly much, much, much older than he was, and Frisk's eyes looked as though they'd seen far too many years for someone so young. It pulled at something deep within her soul, but she stayed quiet. Sans' arms twitched at his sides, drawing in a deep breath and forcing a smile onto his face as he raised a hand to ruffle their already bed-mussed hair.

"Go to bed, kiddo. We can talk later." Something unspoken passed between them, though what it was, Toriel didn't know. Frisk nodded and withdrew, stopping to give her a quick hug before returning to their room, and Sans was already moving to her bedroom to retrieve the unconscious human. By the time she'd shaken herself from her reverie he had her held bridal-style in his arms, and the pie tin floated from her paws just as he cut a doorway to their living room. He muttered a soft word of thanks and a bidding of goodnight before the rift closed neatly behind him, leaving her standing alone in her living room with too many questions and not enough answers.

* * *

 **[[ Whew... Okay. It's 12:30 AM and I stayed up to write this for you guys. As an explanation of sorts, if it hasn't been made obvious already, Kathleen's relationship with her brother has always been _far from healthy_. None of this should be to try and _excuse_ any of what she did, at all, but more so explain why this turn of events came around. Have questions? Come to the blog and lay 'em on me! I'm more than happy to answer questions on my Tumblr or my Discord server (I make posts on Tumblr about when I'm active on there, so check that out). Thank you guys so much for reading! I love you guys! ]]**


	46. Chapter 46

**[[ Alrighty then, here we go! Chapter 46 is now underway! And I'm already gonna be working on chapter 47 just as soon as i get a few hours sleep (falling asleep now lmao) BUT! Someone new is introduced this chapter! And gives us a little view on what was happening while Sans and Tori were gone. HOpe you all enjoy it! ]]**

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Dealing with the authorities had not been something that Grillby had planned for himself that particular evening. Hell, even going so far as to say he'd be closing the bar early wasn't even on his mind, but circumstances always tend to lead to things that are unplanned, and he wasn't one to abandon his friends when they were so obviously in need. Sure, that had started off by simply pulling Sans' head out of his ass- er, pelvis... But then came the news that his human had been kidnapped, and, honestly, Grillby couldn't really blame the skeleton for wanting a drink. He'd been enlisted to try and convince him to open up, talk about things, but the fire elemental was very rapidly beginning to realize just how much Sans was holding back that he needed to talk about.

It only burned a little bit to realize that his dear friend was hiding so much from him. Then again, if he were to try and damn him for it, that would make him a hypocrite.

A glance up at the sky, still shaded by clouds, warned him that rain might be impending, and he glanced down at the watch on his forearm with a small frown marring the flames that made up his face. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning. The 'raid' or 'rescue mission' had been a success, all things considered, and although he was exhausted from the abnormal amount of magic he'd expended, it felt good to be a part of something again. Some little spot in his soul sparked back to life, and the combat had renewed a fighting spirit that he'd long since forgotten he even had. A placid life behind the bar had made him forget, but his soul felt warmed by the memories it all brought back to him. The white-spots of flame where his eyes were narrowed as he glanced across the singed field, toward the groups of humans who were being ushered about by police officials. Cars with flashing red and blue lights had swarmed the scene, and an amount of nervousness settled over the area. They'd used magic. Grillby was certain that there'd be an onslaught of questions and investigation. The first officer had immediately sought out Toriel, and despite the way she'd corrected the human when they'd referred to her as 'Queen Toriel,' they continued to do so. She kept quiet about it, though, politely, as she tended to do.

"I'd like for you to explain what happened here, if you could." The voice of a rather loud female officer caught his attention and his gaze flickered over to where she stood, back stiff with authority and chest puffed with pride. She reminded him of Undyne, he realized, as he glanced between the human officer and the monsterous ex-Captain. There was a small group of humans that she was speaking to, all of them with thick green blankets wrapped around their shoulders. Many of them were shivering heavily, eyes darting around at the darkness around them as if it were ready to snap at them any minute.

"We were all blindfolded for the most of it," one spoke up, a tall, lean woman with thick waves of dark, chocolate-brown hair caressing her shoulders. She looked up at the sky for a moment, a sadness passing over her face, eyes narrowing as though she were searching for something. "But I can tell you what happened," she continued, leveling her amber-colored gaze with that of the officer. When the other nodded for her to continue, she did, her grip on the 'shock blanket' falling slack as she stared upwards. "I was taken there by a group of people, though I never got to see who. I remember their voices, though. There were several, at least nine or ten of them. All men." The officer began writing down the 'facts' in a small notebook she held grasped tightly in her hand, glancing between it and the woman's wistful face. "There was a commotion from across the room from where I was sat. A woman began to panic and...she was killed, I think. Everything was very quiet after that. Then I heard one say 'she's awake', and then..."

Grillby pulled his attention from the humans interacting, glancing back over the crowd to locate the rest of his friends. Undyne and Papyrus had been the next monsters to be interrogated, immediately after Lady Toriel, as if expecting their stories to all be different. _'Not that they can be blamed for their suspicion and their fear,'_ he reasoned, his eyes catching sight of a still smoldering patch of grass, then glancing down at his hands. He'd rolled his sleeves up, exposing his forearms which, like the rest of him, were glowing a bit duller than usual. The flames were a bit weaker all for the simple fact that he'd used so much magic. In his youth, it would have been nothing. Child's play, even. However, he'd gotten out of touch with that side of himself. He was tired.

The feeling of eyes on him sent him glancing around again. Greater Dog and Lesser Dog were sitting obediently by the police cruisers, seeming to be in the midst of a great, if not silent, discussion with the K-9 unit that had been brought along. Dogaressa was being checked over by a frantically worried Dogamy and, despite her insistence that she was _fine_ , he continued to look over her, paw resting atop the very crest of her swollen, pregnant belly. She looked seconds away from nipping at him, and he had very little doubt that she'd do so. Doggo was talking to a few officers while being treated by Lady Toriel. It was to be expected that the nearly blind dog monster would get hit. People aren't normally moving when firing a gun...

He turned and found himself leveled with two bright pools of amber, looking up at him with such a wistfulness and awe that he felt himself stiffen. The human from before was now standing just over his shoulder, and- goodness, how had he not sensed her approach? He really must have been tired.

"You're one of the monsters that came and helped us," she said, less a question as it was a statement, and he gave a small nod. She seemed to be waiting for something, for him to speak, but he didn't wish to. A look of understanding passed over her face and she held up her hands, fingers moving fluidly as she began to sign.

" _I thank you for helping us."_ Pleasantly surprised, the white spots of flame that were his eyes widened a bit, and her own eyes widened in response, followed by her lips curving up into a smile. _"It is incredible how expressive you are. Fire is the element of passion and emotion, so I am not surprised_." Feeling the slightest bit embarrassed he tilted his head downward, raising his own hands to respond.

" _I do not know about that, but you are welcome."_ She gave the smallest of nods before her attention was caught yet again, eyes glancing up to the sky, searching. With only the slightest pause, he followed her gaze, looking back at her when he could see nothing. _"What are you looking for?"_ he signed, thankful that she'd noticed right away so he wouldn't have to repeat himself. The brown skin on her cheekbones turned the faintest reddish hue and her eyes became half-lidded, an expression that he could only describe as 'love-struck' slowly making its way onto her face.

" _The moon."_ The simple sign caught him off guard, obvious from the way his flames flickered atop his head, and she gave a soft hum. " _It was supposed to be the Growing Moon tonight. The blue moon of April..."_ The amount of mourning in her voice was confusing, but he didn't question it. Even though the only ones he'd known to be so obsessed with seeing the night sky were monsters who had never had the chance (or had long since forgotten it), surely it wasn't so out of the ordinary for a human to feel that way, as well.

" _Forgive me, but why the concern for seeing the moon? Do you find it beautiful as well?"_ Her expression fell slack in slight surprise before it was quickly overcome by another bright smile, laughter bubbling past her tan lips.

" _You could say that. She is my goddess, and she is as beautiful as all else combined."_ She seemed to hesitate for a moment, glancing around them before reaching forward to hold her hands out, palm up towards the sky. It looked as if she were preparing to catch something falling from the heavens, and despite how odd the display was, Grillby found himself watching with a rapt curiosity. Her impossibly dark lashes brushed her cheeks as she closed her eyes, releasing a slow sigh, and he was amazed as the clouds slowly began to part, a soft white glow escaping from behind them to bathe across her skin. It was haunting and lovely, and he found his hands moving to form questions before he could even realize it himself. "She grants me power to do things other humans cannot... Magic." Her eyes slid open and met his, and she gave him a soft smile. "Perhaps sometime I may show you. Monsters may have something to learn from the Moon and her magic." He found himself nodding in agreement without thinking about it, and his fingers twitched as he itched to ask her more questions, but a thin hand on his shoulder pulled him from his reverie.

"Dearie, you ought to hurry home. It looks as though it may rain." He turned his head just enough to see Muffet standing beside him, pressing herself close to his side as three of her arms wrapped around one of his, giving a gentle tug. It might have been imagined, but the spideress seemed to send a glare the human's way; she seemed oblivious to it, though, her eyes once again focused upon the moon and its soft glow. He gave Muffet a short nod, an uncomfortably conflicting feeling tugging at his mind, but he shook it off. Before the spider monster could lead him off, though, he stopped and reached out, giving the human a gentle tap on the shoulder to regain her attention.

" _I would like to learn more about her...your goddess, I mean."_ The way the moon reflected off of those amber pools made them seem to glow in the darkness, contrasting lights dancing within them as they reflected his flames. Those eyes were watching his hands intently, then they flickered to his face, the smile on her lips spreading wider as she seemed to swell with appreciation. The hand on his arm tightened, but he paid it no mind as the woman gave another nod, eyes hiding from his view behind thin brown eyelids, much like the moon had been hiding behind the clouds. Feeling bold, he continued. " _I own a the bar in Taobh. Perhaps, one evening, you could come by and enlighten me."_ She gave him an odd look, and before he could begin to wonder if he'd perhaps been a bit _too_ bold, she spoke with her voice instead of her hands.

"...Was that a pun?" she asked, gesturing toward him, and his flames froze briefly before they burned brighter, flickering violently as he shook his head. She laughed, an easy, unrestrained sound, and her smile was brighter than the moon. "I'll see you around." Then she turned and she was gone, walking closer to the edge of the forest. She picked a spot at the base of a rather large tree and plopped down right in the grass, unworried about whether or not it would stain her long skirt. Her eyes turned back up toward the moon and she reclined against the rough bark at her back, basking in its light, looking completely at peace.

"Awfully interested in her, aren't we, dearie?" The flames along his shoulders jumped slightly as he felt Muffet's voice just at his ear, and he shot her a scolding glance, but she waved it off, giggling behind one of her hands. "Let's get you back to your bar. I'd hate for you to fizzle out~," she cooed, clinging to his arm all the tighter, and he released a small sigh as he glanced back up at the sky. The moon was revealed, but the spideress was right. It wouldn't do for him to stand around in the rain and be 'put out', so he allowed the dainty arachnid monster to lead him to one of the numerous cars parked in the vicinity, only glancing back at the moon-struck human once before they were driven out of sight.

* * *

"For the last time! I. Am. Fine!" Papyrus perked up slightly as the voices of a familiar canine met him through the murmur of the now crowded field, and he glanced over just in time to find Dogamy draw back slightly, his tail tucked between his legs. His mate was growling, lips pulled back enough to expose the faintest glimpse at her white fangs. She was exhausted, as they all were, and had grown tired of her mate's worrying and hovering, just as they'd all suspected she would. They'd even been making silent bets on how long it would take for her to snap at him. _'Naturally I, The Great Papyrus, would win that bet! I believed in her ability to maintain composure, as any proper Royal Guardsman- er, Guardswoman would!'_ It took only seconds for the two to be back to their usual antics, nuzzling noses and being disgustingly sweet with one another. Papyrus wondered briefly how on earth Dogamy could understand such mood swings. _'The human also gets rather moody, but she has never lashed out like that. I wonder why...'_ Frowning slightly, he puzzled over that particular thought for far longer than he should have, deciding that she was just a patient person. Despite knowing that her soul didn't necessarily have an overabundance of it, like his brother's did.

"Excuse me, Sir." The towering skeleton glance down to find a rather small human, too large to be a child, but not quite fully grown, standing before him. Once he made actual eye contact with them they seemed to draw back, looking apologetic and fearful all at once, and all he could do was give them a patient smile. "How uh... How do you do what you did in there?" They fidgeted with their sleeves for a moment, pulling them down to cover their hands. He cocked a brow in question.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HUMAN?" The loudness of his voice seemed to startle them, and he immediately lowered his voice. "I assume you are talking about my magic, yes?" They gave a slow nod, brows furrowing in confusion. "Well that's all there is to be said about it, really! It's magic!" A small bit of skepticism seemed to pass over their expression briefly, but then their eyes trailed over him and it vanished. Yes, magic can't seem that odd when you're talking to an actual skeleton, now can it?

"Well it, uh...i-it was really cool..." Papyrus felt his chest swell with pride, puffing out his rib cage as he rested a glove-covered hand on it, smiling.

"YES, IT WAS QUITE COOL, WASN'T IT? NYEH HEH HEH!" They seemed a bit more comfortable with him, because his tone didn't bother them anymore. They even chuckled along a little as he laughed proudly, their lips turning up into a shy smile.

"It's cool that you were able to save everyone- ...w-well, almost everyone..." Ah. Papyrus felt his soul squeeze the smallest bit, though he made sure to keep the smile on his face. "I'm sorry."

"Huh?" He blinked his sockets in surprise, his skull cocking to one side slightly. "WHAT ARE YOU SORRY FOR, HUMAN?"

"I-I mean I'm... Uh... I-I'm sorry that you had to...see that... I know how difficult that is." They reached a small (wow, it really was so tiny compared to him, wasn't it?) hand out to rest on his shoulder, trembling even as they had to stand on the very tips of their toes in order to reach. "If you um...n-need to talk to someone, just let me know, o-okay?" Papyrus sucked in a short breath, feeling the edges of his eyesockets burn as the smile fell from his face in his surprise. It was quick to return, though it was slightly pained, and he reached out to ruffle the human's matted black hair.

"WORRY NOT, HUMAN! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS JUST FINE! BUT I THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER!" They yelped and raised their hands to try and deflect his ruffling, their cheeks flushing a deep red. He couldn't help but think of how it reminded him of Lena, when she and Sans were okay. Their playful banter and bickering, their conversations that often made him leave the room...he wondered if that would ever come back. _'They had quite a fight before all of this nonsense happened... Surely they will make up, though! She is a very kind human. She will no doubt forgive Sans.'_ He felt guilty for the little lingering bit of doubt and concern that stuck around, but he told himself that very forcefully, shaking his skull side to side as if it would dispel the thoughts. When he stopped the human was looking up at him strangely, and he quickly withdrew his hand and bid them farewell, turning on the heel of his boots to go and find Undyne.

The Captain of what had once been the Royal Guard was standing at attention, her posture and expression rigid, arms crossed high over her chest. The claws on her webbed fingers tapped against her bicep, and Papyrus couldn't help but wonder if it was her _intention_ to intimidate the humans...because, if it was, she was doing a fairly good job. The officers that were around her asking her questions kept glancing at her claws, the fangs in her mouth every time she spoke, the built frame she sported. It certainly didn't help that she was a good deal taller than them all, towering over them by at least a foot. _'She is not all as scary as they are thinking!'_ The Undyne they were seeing now, sure, she was all serious, all business, all power and determination...the Undyne he knew? She was all of that, but also a gigantic nerd (even though she preferred to call other people that...frequently). She cared a lot more than she liked to let on, and he could tell. As the small group of uniformed humans parted he walked over to his friend, watching as she practically deflated against the side of the cruiser, leaning against it heavily. She raised a hand to shove it through her fiery red hair, shoving the strands of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail out of her face.

"Dammit, if these guys could leave us alone for five fucking minutes-" Her one revealed eye darted up to Papyrus, body setting itself on edge for half a second before she realized who it was. "Ah geez, it's just you." Papyrus gave a tired grin and moved to stand next to her, resting a gloved hand heavily on her shoulder.

"Please try to withhold your enthusiasm!" The sarcasm caught her off-guard and she snorted, swinging a hand out to punch him in the shoulder weakly. He chuckled and retracted his hand, rubbing his 'abused' shoulder as he leveled her with a careful gaze. "Are you alright? You are much less loud than normal." A small derisive snort had the fish woman looking up at him, brow raised.

"You're one to talk," she grumbled, then she released a loud sigh. "I dunno, just...thinkin' about shit. I'm not worried, if that's what you're trying to say!" Papyrus raised his hands palm-out to try and placate her, maybe to say that he hadn't at all been insinuating that she was concerned (though, let's be honest, she obviously is). "Hey." Her voice was obviously drawing for his attention, and he was quick to give it, his eye sockets leveling with the single amber-eyed stare his friend gave him. "What happened to that bitch?" He winced at the language, muttering a soft 'language' under his breath in protest, but he didn't even need to ask her to clarify who she was talking about. He turned his head slightly to look over by one of the several ambulances that were parked in the vicinity, seeing the platinum blonde haired woman being tended to by paramedics. She seemed to notice him looking at her and flinched, averting her gaze and allowing her hair to fall in front of her face to hide it. He heard Undyne ground out a curse and could practically feel her bristle beside him, no doubt having followed his gaze, and though he wanted to tell her to be kind, he...didn't.

He found it the slightest bit difficult to keep the negative thoughts about her at bay. This was the human who had made his dear friend's life so difficult, the one who caused the circumstances that led up to this very evening. If it weren't for her, the rescue mission wouldn't have been necessary. If not for her, Lena would be-

' _NO. Don't.'_ He heavily reprimanded himself in his mind the instant his thoughts began to stray to the darker side of things, breathing out a deep sigh through his nasal cavity. Surely there was some reason, some explanation, that would help enlighten the all as to why this human acted with such cruelty...right? _'Not all humans need a reason to be cruel,'_ he reminded himself, the leather of his gloves squeaking as he clenched his hands into fists.

"If she was left unscathed, then surely there must be some reason for it, right?" Undyne immediately looked like she wanted to argue, but a thoughtful frown pulled down at the corners of her lips. It was true, and it couldn't be denied. Devon had been beaten pretty badly, injured, but Kathleen was left, for the most part, untouched. He knew his brother wasn't one for gender bias, so it wasn't like it was just because she was female, either. "I believe that we should keep an eye on her...but she seems different. We should give her a chance."

"That's your problem, Papyrus. Too many fucking chances..."

"You did not allow me to finish," he chimed in, sending his friend a smile as the faintest ring of orange light began to shine from within his right eye socket. "...We should give her a chance _when_ Lena wakes up." The ex-Captain looked startled, if only for a second, before a wide grin broke out over her face, sinister and threatening.

"That sounds more fair."

' _When the human wakes up, then we shall give her a fair chance...but-'_

"Hey, Toriel!" Undyne's voice broke him from his thoughts and he looked up, only momentarily dazed, to see the very mentioned monster walking toward them. The fur underneath her eyes looked slightly darker, as if she had shadows under her eyes, and they could all understand the feeling. They were all tired, magic depleted and exhausted physically as well as emotionally. The regal monster raised a paw in a short wave, a smile finding its way onto her muzzle.

"Hello. I apologize for having left you for so long... Is everything settled with the human authorities?" Undyne gave a small, gruff sound, shrugging her shoulders. Toriel chuckled softly and even though it was genuine, it sounded tired.

"Your Majesty-"

"Please, child," she interrupted gently, waving a paw as if to dismiss the formality. "As I've said, Toriel is just fine!"

"Lady Toriel, how is...how is she?" he asked, voice uncharacteristically quiet. The once Queen gave a weary sigh, her smile beginning to look a little strained until it fell away from her face entirely, leaving her looking solemn.

"Her soul is intact and steady..." The unsaid 'but' lingered in the air until, with an even deeper sigh, she continued, "...she has not yet awoken."

"What the fuck even _happened_ to her?!" Undyne asked, voice full of frustration and concern, and, for once, Toriel didn't give her a scathing glance for her poor language.

"It is...difficult to discuss at the moment. Something awful...but her soul is strong, and Sans is watching over her." Papyrus wrung his gloved hands together, eye sockets falling half-lidded as he glanced down at the ground. The grass just beneath the paw-pads of Toriel's feet was blackened by their friend Grillby's blazing magic, crunching loudly beneath her footsteps as she stepped ever closer. A heavy paw rested on his shoulder and he felt like a child under her gaze. When he looked up at her again her smile was gentle, patient, and kind. "Papyrus, my dear, I think your brother will be needing you." A small questioning sound left his throat before he could properly give it permission, but she merely chuckled gently. "He is...well, he is not well, obviously, because she is not awake. But he needs you there, I think. Having his brother there with him will help."

"Nyeh... D-do you really think so?" It was so unlike him to sound so uncertain, but damn it all, he was. His brother had felt uncomfortable with him being too close to his human not too long ago. What made her so certain that he was wanted?

"I know so. We will be limiting visitors until she is awake and well...so you had best hurry along. I've kept you here long enough, have I not?" She gave the skeleton a gentle nudge and he felt his feet moving beneath him without having to think about it, carrying him down the path they'd all forged together in the direction of what he could only call 'home'.

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 **[[ And there you have it. IT's a little shorter this time around, but just giving a little peek at what was happening during the end of last chapter. Already working on the next one! For now, I'm super sleepy and exhausted and falling asleep as I'm writing this hahahhh**

 **Be sure to follow on Tumblr! ( ) I don't often respond to comments on here because I like to keep an accurate comment count. But you can message me on Tumblr or send me an ask and I'd be more than happy to have a conversation! I do art streams sometimes and make posts on there about that, so yeah, check it out!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's got a little bit of an introduction for something new, and a look at something for the future, though it's pretty vague. I wonder who'll pick up on it. Love you guys~! ]]**


	47. The Love That Binds Us

**[[ Ahhhhhh hey guys, Brit here! I've been looking forward to this chapter for a while (so has bro honestly), so I really, really hope that you guys like it! Finally, a little positive in this time of darkness! ]]**

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Footsteps were muted as his slippers shuffled across the carpet, the darkness awaiting them foreboding while also being comforting. They were alone. Here, he was free to express whatever he pleased without having to worry about how it might look in someone else's eyes. His eye-lights were mere pinpricks, incredibly dim in his weary sockets. Toriel had told him that it was an unknown, whether she would- … _when_ she would wake up. He cursed himself for even _daring_ to allow his mind to wander to such a negative place. _'There is no if. She_ _ **is**_ _going to wake up.'_ The pie tin floating just above his shoulder landed gently on the dining room table as he walked past it without breaking stride, cutting straight through the living area of the apartment and down the small hallway that led to her bedroom.

It hadn't even been that long since he was last there, but, for whatever reason, it felt like it had been much, much longer. Was it really only a number of hours ago that he'd stormed out in a fit of childish anger, fleeing to Grillby's to try and drink away his problems? It had been quite a while since the last time he'd tried to do that, and…oh stars, Papyrus! As he passed the doorway to the kitchen he couldn't help but recall the conversation he and his brother had shared there. Well, it had really been less of a conversation and more of Sans being stubborn…fuck, he's been such an asshole lately. _'Gotta apologize to Paps somehow…'_ he told himself firmly, even though he knew that Papyrus wasn't upset with him for it. If he knew his brother, he'd been forgiven mere seconds afterward. That was just how he was. A brave and patient and loving soul.

He edged the bedroom door open with one of his slippers and moved to lay the unconscious body on the bed, cursing as her head fell limp the instant he moved her off of his shoulder. If it weren't for the shallow movements of her chest signifying her breath, he might've been thinking she'd gone and died on him. His eye-lights dimmed even further until they were practically absent. It didn't help that she so closely resembled someone who had 'fallen down'…but she hasn't fallen down. She was going to wake up and get back up and…and their lives were going to carry on the way they had been. They were going to put all of this bullshit behind them and move forward.

' _This will be the last time I ever let that demon child anywhere fucking near you.'_ He brushed a few stray auburn hairs from in front of her face, thumb gently tracing the swell of her cheek. The marks and injuries had all been, for the most part, healed, but her already pale skin had lost what little pinkness and glow it had. She was ashen-looking, her skin looking almost grey in contrast with the soft brown freckles smattering across her cheeks. His eye sockets ached and stung as the desire to cry washed over him. Alone, with her, he actually could. "Lena…" He drew in a slow, shaking breath as his hand lowered from where it was cupping her face, resting just atop her sternum. He wanted to see her soul, wanted to check on it and see that it wasn't cracking or fraying at the edges. Maybe it was because of her outward appearance, a little bit, but it was also because the last time he'd seen it, it had been so badly hurt.

' _Did you know that a soul is able to scream?'_ he'd asked Toriel, and, from the way her complexion paled the slightest bit and she averted her gaze, he wondered if she actually did. That high-pitched whine, a frequency so impossibly complex that ears couldn't pick up on it, had practically deafened his soul. Even still, he could feel his own soul pressing against the inner ridges of his ribcage, wanting to rush forth and make certain that she was alright.

Just as he was about to summon it forth, however, a sharp knock from the front door startled him from his thoughts. He withdrew his hand, casting her a lingering glance before he shuffled out of the room, not wanting to leave her side even for a moment. The knock persists and he huffs a slightly aggravated sigh, his lumbering steps not quickening in the slightest. "I'm comin', hold on," he mumbled loud enough for whatever impatient person it was to hear, and the instant he twisted the knob and pulled the door open, he wished he'd ignored it completely.

Brit looked like shit, if he were completely honest with himself. Her eyes were puffy and swollen and red from crying, her cheeks rubbed raw, and there were still obvious damp spots on the bottoms of her long sleeves where she'd wiped her eyes and nose. Despite all of this and expecting her to immediately lash out and punch him, she was standing uncomfortably still. Her green eyes narrowed the instant they landed on him, her mouth setting into a firm downward curve and her eyebrows furrowing.

"Heya bub, wassup?" he asked as casually as he could muster, only stumbling a little as the human shoved past him to stride into the living room. He breathed a small, silent sigh as he closed the door behind her, hands sliding into his pockets. "You want somethin' to drink? Water? Ketchup?"

"No." Her voice was hard and obviously had a lot of effort behind it to keep it so controlled, and even he couldn't help but respect her for trying to keep her cool in a situation like this. He obviously didn't do as well. "It was good hearing from you to let me know that Lena had been found," she said pointedly, sarcasm dripping cold and stinging from every word. He flinched inwardly a bit but otherwise maintained his composure, giving a small shrug.

"Busy. You know how it goes." She glanced around the room for a moment, as if searching for something. When she apparently couldn't find it, she began to walk down the short hallway toward the bedrooms, and it took Sans only a second to catch up to her, snagging her wrist in his hand easily. "Where ya goin'?" She whirled on him and he could feel the hand in his grasp trembling, the muscles and tendons going taut beneath his fingers.

"I'm going to see Lena," she said simply, enough determination in her tone that he knew he wasn't going to be able to prevent it. …Still-

"Not right now. She's resting." The human pulled against him, trying to free herself from his grasp, and he sighed as he tightened his hold. He really didn't want to have to do this. "She's had a rough night, alright? Just let her sleep for a few hours." She stopped short, drawing in a slow, measured breath through her nose before releasing it as a heavy sigh.

"...What happened?"

"It- … She got kidnapped by some pretty bad people. Turns out she wasn't the only one, either. All those disappearances you've been seein' on the news? It was them." He chose his words as carefully as he could with her staring him down so intently. After a moment he sighed, the grin he'd been keeping up slipping a bit at the corners and, from the way her eyes darted about his face, he knew she noticed. "She…got hurt. Her injuries have all been healed, though. It was nothing too bad physically." The arm within his grasp trembled more strongly and, glancing up, he saw that she was about to cry. He didn't know how to handle that sort of thing, so he awkwardly released his hold on her, allowing his hand to return to his pocket.

"She's okay now, though, right?" It took him two seconds too long to answer, and he wanted so badly to just blurt out 'yes, she's going to be fine, no problem' but he _couldn't_. Because, honestly, he had no idea…and that terrified him. She could sense all of this, he knew, because she suddenly pushed past him and tried to make her way to the bedroom again.

"Let her rest. Going in there won't do any good."

"Move." He took a small step back, the fabric of his hood brushing softly against the door, and he clenched his jaw stubbornly.

"Look, I'm tryin' to be nice here, but you're not makin' it easy-"

"I said, 'Move.'"

"Leave her be. There's nothin' you can do for her-"

"I could do better for her than you have!" she snapped finally, tears rimming her eyes and her face flushed with anger, and Sans felt something within his soul shudder. "If she had stayed with me, then she wouldn't have gotten hurt like this…" He felt her push past him and heard the bedroom door open, but he couldn't seem to move his feet from the spot he'd been left in. The words _hurt_ , but only because they were the same words he'd been saying to himself since he found out she'd been taken- hell, he'd been saying them _all along_ , and having them voiced out loud by someone else just made them even more real.

' _No, I can't do this right now. I need to keep an eye on her…'I_ Giving his skull a small shake to try and dislodge the hateful thoughts, he moved to follow after the human, pausing just inside the doorway as his soul gave a mighty squeeze. Brit was sat on the bed by Lena's head, her fingers lovingly brushing through the messy auburn hair. Her voice was soft and warm as she spoke to Lena, even though they both knew she couldn't hear them.

"-and I swear to god, that child is so much like me, it's scary. She'll look you straight in the eye as you tell her she can't do something and goddamn, she'll fight you until we're all blue in the face." Brit gave a tired chuckle that Sans couldn't help but smile at, leaning heavily against the door frame as he watched and listened to this human who loved his human almost as much as he did.

"-but, naturally, there's no way that that's going to happen. It'd just be too good, y'know? Can't have a day without the kids throwing a tantrum. They're kids, that's just how they are, I know. Still, some days, it's like…like I can't even handle _myself_ , y'know? Much less two little humans that I have to teach how to be people." There was a pregnant pause, and Sans almost considered stepping in, asking her to leave and let Lena sleep, but a pronounced sniffling sound broke through the silence. "I… _fuck_. I really, _really_ need for you to wake up…okay?" Sans' breathing stilled, chest becoming paralyzed as he watched the human lean down and press a kiss to the unconscious woman's forehead. The fact that she didn't stir only furthered the unease already spreading the air thin in the room, and the distraught human choked back a loud sob as she knelt down to press her forehead against Lena's, tears dripping to land on freckled cheeks and getting caught in dark eyelashes. He listened to this human cry and felt his own sins beginning to crawl on his back, burrowing into the depths of his skull to take rest in his mind. "W-we promised, remember? I said I'd be here for you as long as you were here for me. Y-you…you said you'd never leave. Wh-what am I supposed to tell my kids?" A sorrowful cry spilled past her lips and she mumbled something unintelligible, moving to bury her face in Lena's chest. "They're g-gonna wonder what happened t-to their Auntie L-Lena…" This was his fault. _This was all his fault._

"...'m sorry." The rough voice obviously startled her as much as it surprised him, and when he looked up he realized that it was his voice. He stood in the doorway, looking and feeling so helplessly _lost_ and he felt so _guilty_ but he wasn't sure of what he was supposed to _do_. "It wasn't… I-I was bein' an asshole. I was _scared for her_ , Brit, I didn't-" He wished he had a throat so that he could try to swallow past the lump that would surely be there, try to lessen the pressure that was slowly building up in his chest. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen to her. None of this." He raised his hands to his skull and dug the sharper, bony tips of his phalanges into it, a frown overtaking the smile there. The soft clattering of his bones rattling together disturbed the terse silence. "I'm sorry-"

He wasn't sure when the human had gotten off of the bed and crossed the room, but the next thing he knew, he was pulled into a tight embrace. She wasn't nearly as soft as her, as soft as _his_ Lena, but the desperate way she clung to him almost made it feel better. He hesitated to return it, his hands floating above her back as the lights in his eye sockets went completely dark. "It's not your fault…" came the mumbled reply, and he wanted to laugh. She had _just_ gotten finished letting him know just how badly he'd fucked up. "I'm sorry, Sans. I…fuck, I didn't mean what I said. It's not true, okay?" His arms dropped to his sides and she pulled away, grabbing his shoulders in a firm grip and giving him a hard shake. "You were trying to protect her! But you just…you gotta _talk to her_ , dammit!" She was still crying, and her nose was just starting to run, but the pathetically earnest expression on her face made him stop, made him want to listen to her. "She's the most understanding and caring person in the fucking world! No matter what you need to tell her, she'll _get it_. And even if she doesn't get it, she'll try so hard to that you'll feel better anyway!" The tears increased the more she talked, her voice becoming more choked, but she pushed on anyway. "She's going to be just fine, Sans. She…sh-she's a strong cookie, y'know? So even if you're feeling _crumby_ about it-" A watery laugh, and he couldn't tell if it came from him or her. She was giving him a teary smile and squeezing his shoulders, her expression still taut with worry and emotion.

There were suddenly a hundred cast shadows as pale green light bathed across the room, and Sans felt something deep within his chest lurch painfully as Brit turned to regard the new light source curiously. The green heart-shaped soul was floating just above Lena's sternum, bobbing up and down as if it were floating on invisible waves. "…What is that?" He opened his mouth to answer, but all that ended up leaving it was a strange, choked sound as panic filled his skull to the very brim. Why was it there like that? It hadn't been summoned. _Why was her soul leaving her body?_ It only did that if you were dying or in a confrontation. His expression must have been fearful because she was suddenly shaking him again, trying to get his attention, and it was only when her voice heightened in panic that he managed to tear his gaze away from it. "What the hell is that?"

"It's…her soul…" He expected her to be confused, and she probably was, but the way she calmly released her hold on him and stepped closer to the bed made him wonder if maybe it wasn't her first time seeing a soul up close. She reached out, though, and he was quick to step forward, snapping at her a bit louder than he intended. "Don't touch it!" She drew her hand back as if she'd been burned, eyes wide for a fraction of a second before she sent him a light glare. "It…w-we don't know what's happening with it right now…"

"Is it…supposed to be out like this?" she asked cautiously, though he was certain she already knew the answer; that certainty was sealed when he shook his skull slightly and she nodded in understanding. "What…what do we do? Can we put it back?" He dragged a hand along his skull, the faint grating sound of bone against bone bringing some small amount of comfort. "It's not good for it to stay out, right? So we should jus-"

A bright flash enveloped the room, and Sans could hear Brit cry out in surprise as she stumbled backward, running into the bedside table and knocking the lamp set there to the floor. He might have worried if it was intact, but the soft pulling sensation in his chest had his attention front and center on the current situation. His white inverted heart-shaped soul gently floated from beneath his t-shirt, and he was quick to utilize his magic to grab a hold of it. Even without looking, he could tell that her soul was trying to call his in. He could _feel_ it, and that desire from weeks before, that desire that was a steady undercurrent to everything he did and said and thought about her, was surfacing, hard and strong. Her soul slowly began to move toward him, and he panicked, flinging an arm out to stop its movement while also holding his own soul as far away from it as possible.

"What's happening?!" He turned to look at the human who was now standing nearby, hands hovering out in front of her, as if she wanted to do something but wasn't sure what. The gentle nudging of Lena's soul against his palm sent a shiver down his spine, and he struggled to grasp onto any cold logic he could use to calm his racing soul and mind. "Sans, what do we do?!" He squeezed his sockets shut, trying to block out a little of the chaos and try to just _think_ , but-

"SANS? I AM HOME!" The muffled voice came loud and clear through the walls of the apartment, and he felt pulled between wanting to call out to his brother and asking him to stay away. What if him coming in summoned his soul, too? What if it summoned Brit's, and then something terrible happened to the four of them, and he couldn't- _'Stop it!'_ He shook his head, and, as it turns out, he wouldn't need to contemplate what he should do, because it took Papyrus all of ten seconds to show up in the doorway. "BROTHER, WHAT IS-" His voice died out instantly, eye sockets widening as he took in the situation he'd just walked into. Brit's panic-stricken face and his brother's struggling expression were all he needed. Sparing only a second-long glance at Lena's soul, he strode into the room and promptly scooped the conscious human up in his arms, carrying her over her shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Wha- Papyrus, put me down! What the fuck is going on?! Papyrus!" She shouted at him and banged on the back of his battle body, looking even more panicked than she had before, but Papyrus ignored her cries for the moment, eye sockets already exuding a soft orange glow as he headed for the door.

"Sans." The uncharacteristically soft voice made Sans' skull snap up so he could look at him, and his soul visibly swelled at the reassurance and confidence on Papyrus' face. "I believe in you." Then the door was locked and closed with a loud slam, and Sans could hear Brit cursing and screaming as she was carried out of the apartment. Surely his brother would take her to Toriel's to talk things over, get her to calm down…hopefully. She wasn't the most reasonable of humans at times. _'Then again, what have I done over the last few days that's been anything close to reasonable?'_ He shook his head and quickly climbed up onto the bed, sitting beside the unconscious Lena. He gently tried to coax her soul to return to her body, but it shook against his palm and refused, pushing back insistently.

' _Why won't it go back? What am I doing wrong?!'_ Gritting his teeth loudly he tried again, and again, and again, only for it to fight back against him even harder with every attempt. "Lena. Lena, hey, c'mon. Y-you need to wake up now." He wanted to reach out and touch her face, brush his fingers through her hair… _something_ , but trying to keep their two souls apart was enough of a struggle on its own. The little green heart nuzzled warmly against his palm and fingers and he cursed under his breath, squeezing his eye sockets tightly shut as he felt his magic thrumming heavily within his bones. " _Please_ , Lena. _Please_ … _please_ wake up." A small tendril of pale green aura left the soul, reaching out for his, and despite his attempts, he could feel his own soul responding, trying to reach out in kind. "No! Lena! God, please, wake up! I can't keep this up, you need to wake up!" He tried to return his own soul to its safe spot beneath his ribs, but it _refused_ , it _rejected_ the motion, and he was _terrified_ of what that meant. This wasn't how he wanted this to go. This wasn't how he wanted this to happen. _'How can I even_ _ **think**_ _of bonding at a time like this?! Stars, I'm disgusting.'_

"...Sans?"

Shock broke through the shame washing over him as his skull whipped around, eye sockets opening wide as he looked at her. Her eyes were heavily lidded, hazy with lethargy and drowsiness, but _stars_ , it was so good to see those eyes again, no matter how tired they were. He felt a smile pulling up at the corners of his mouth without his consent, relief palpable as it came from him in waves. _She was awake_. That relief was short-lived, though, as she winced, and she closed her eyes slowly, brows knit in discomfort. "Hey hey hey, keep your eyes open for me, c'mon…" He wanted so badly to rush forward and kiss her, wrap her up in his arms and hold her there and keep her safe forever, but-

"Why…why is my soul…?" The question, though incomplete, was easily understood, and he gave a bark of dry laughter, shrugging his shoulders as he struggled even more to keep the two apart. He'd already used a good deal of magic during the 'rescue mission'. "It…something feels wrong…" she mumbled, and he felt fear spike through his soul, could feel in the way it shivered in the grip of his magic. "There's something…something that I need, but I…I-I don't know…" She swallowed thickly and gave a shaky sigh, mouth turning down into a frown. "I need something but I can't…I can't quite reach it." As if her words prompted it, there was another thin green tendril of magic that reached out from her soul, and he felt his face grow hot at the implications it gave. _'There's no way…'_

" _My soul belongs to you."_

He shook his head, bones rattling as he tried to keep the two souls apart. _'She didn't know what she was sayin'. She…she deserves so much better, she-'_

"Sans." He looked up at her and, with that questioning look on her too-tired face, he caved.

"Alph told ya a little bit about monster relationships, right?" She gave a slow nod and his brow bones furrowed as he tried to carefully choose his words. "It- …they're, ah, trying to um… _bond_." A small flash of understanding passes through her eyes, but he has to be sure. She has to understand. "It's a process that uses magic to uh…well, it creates a link between our two souls, a-and…it's really hard to undo. Breeching a bond is incredibly dangerous." He wanted her to know, that even if there was a way out of it, it would be painful. When she realized she'd made a mistake…

A wave of warmth washed over him, comforting, and he could _feel_ the desire through the way her soul nudged against him, seeking for his own. She was looking at him uncertainly, but everything he could feel coming from her was certain and steady and loving and so much longing that it made his chest ache. "I told you…I'm yours, as long as you'll have me…" she mumbled, and he felt his eye sockets burn as wetness began to overflow from them, dripping down the soft ridges of his cheekbones. His left eye socket flared to life as the fiery blue pupil formed and he used as much magic as his body could withstand after having already used so much, keeping the souls as far apart as he could as he climbed up onto the bed. He laid along his side next to her, turning her to do the same so that they were facing one another. He could feel a flutter of nervousness, and he wasn't sure if it was his or hers, but he felt a certainty underlying it that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"You're sure…?" he asked, because he had to, and he couldn't help but crack a small smile at the way she rolled her eyes at him. She didn't need to say her answer out loud when he could feel it coming from within her, and she knew that, but somehow she still knew that he needed to hear it. She leaned forward to press a kiss to his nasal ridge, mumbling a soft 'yes' as she pulled him close. "Heh…dunno how I ever got so lucky…" He closed his eye sockets and allowed the magic to fade.

There was five seconds of silence and stillness before everything suddenly became overwhelmed.

He could feel the way his forearm was resting a bit uncomfortably against her hip bone as if her sensations were all his own, and he struggled to move it higher up on her waist for it to be comfortable despite the onslaught of sensation and thoughts and feelings. He could feel how her eyes burned when she cried, and how different a sensation it was to have tears dripping down skin than it was across bone. Her bangs tickled her skin slightly in a pleasant way that made him want to bury his hands in the softness of her hair and play with it, and he wondered what it would feel like to scratch her scalp the way he knew she liked. There was slight anxiety, and guilt, and forgiveness, and _love._ So much love. He felt like he was going to drown in it. It was warm and comforting and soft and yet also incredibly powerful. It flooded his bones and filled his skull to the point of overflowing. She gave a watery laugh and he could feel the way it had been pulled from her, so naturally and freely, and he found himself doing it, too. They laid in her bed, laughing and crying and holding onto one another so tightly that they lost track of which limbs were his or hers.

"Sans…look." Her soft awed whisper managed to break through the flurry of things going on in his mind and he cracked one eye socket open, looking at the bright light floating above them and feeling struck and awe-inspired and so incredibly wondrous. Their souls were embracing, pressed so tightly together that he was certain they intersected at some point. The energy whirling around them was gentle and careful, a soft mix of blue and green that reminded him of catching glimpses of the sky through the trees, and it was _beautiful_. It was them, and _they were beautiful_ , and he couldn't tell if those were his thoughts or hers, but he couldn't really care. Slowly, though, the green light began to fade, and it was with an agonizing slowness that their souls parted. Hers had a single band of transparent blue going from the top left crest of the heart-shape down to the right side of the point, just barely covering up the small, faded off-white crack in the very center where the needle had pierced it. He felt a rush of pride burst through him at the sight, and he was certain it was all his own, but a short glance at her face made him think otherwise. Her gaze was so firmly set on his own soul, cracked and marred as it always had been, but it now held a faint green vine-like spiral wrapping around it, almost like it were trying to hold him together. It was poetic and accurate, he couldn't help but think; she was what kept him together during the worst of times. As their new souls gently faded back into the depths of their chests, they approached the new darkness that filled the room with a sense of understanding that they hadn't had before.

Before he could even think of anything to say, she had pulled him to her chest in a crushing hug, arms trembling around him. "Sans, I'm _so sorry_." She was apologizing…? But why? What on earth could she possibly have been- "I understand now. I _get it_. I'm sorry I- …y-you just try and keep us safe the only way you know how…" Oh. … _Oh._ Sans sucked in a breath as he realized that she had seen something, though what exactly, he couldn't be certain. "It wasn't your fault. _None of it was your fault_. You…y-you did what you had to…" He buried his face in her chest and huffed out a laugh that sounded more like a sob, bony fingers digging into her shirt as he pulled her closer. "I love you so much, Sans…so, so much. There's…things we have to work through and talk about, but we'll do it _together_ …okay?" He nodded, feeling far too elated that he actually had the chance to do that, and also terrified of what she had seen, but that could wait for another time. That talk could come later. Right in that moment, he just wanted to lay there and bask in the feeling of the new bond he'd forged.

He didn't say it, but he had a feeling that she knew, anyway.

* * *

It had taken a lot of convincing for the human to calm down enough to listen. Brit had been angry and said many curse words at him, but Papyrus still felt like he had done the right thing. …right?

Concern began to needle at his skull the longer he sat at Toriel's, and it must have been obvious, because the goat woman had offered for him to join her in the kitchen to make spaghetti…at two in the morning. Bless the motherly concern of his good friend and ex-Queen, but he was far too nervous to cook. Something big was happening, he could tell, but he wasn't certain of what. There was only one reason that immediately came to mind that told him Lena's soul would leave her body like that, and it was not a pleasant one. He had relayed what he'd seen to Toriel and, though the matronly monster had been smiling and seemed less concerned, he couldn't help the worries that arose in his mind. He was just glad that the human Brit had headed home after having a private talk with Her Majesty, though he didn't understand why it needed to be so secretive…

"I AM GOING TO GO CHECK ON THEM!" he announced suddenly, hopping up from his spot on her floral-print sofa and bolting from the door. She called after him, of course, but it wasn't long before he was out of hearing range. All of those training sessions with Undyne really had paid off!

He climbed the stairs to their apartment three at a time, not bothering to knock or announce his presence as he went straight for Lena's bedroom. It had been left ajar, so he pushed it open the rest of the way, mouth open to speak, but his words fizzled out and died in his throat, eye sockets widening as he found himself staring. She and his brother were asleep in eachother's arms, their faces tear-streaked and peaceful. Well, certainly his brother would not be so at ease if something were wrong! Even if he had been crying, that didn't mean something awful was about to happen. …But what was this new, strange glow he saw? He squinted his sockets as he stepped closer to take a better look, only for them to be blown wide open once again, and he slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his gasp.

Even if he wasn't the most adept at seeing souls, like Frisk or Sans, he could tell that the two of them had bonded.

He carefully and quietly crept out of the room, closing the door behind him and heading into his room. The door quietly clicked closed and he threw himself onto his racecar bed, shoving his skull into his pillow and trying his best to squeal _quietly_. He hoped that they would want to tell people soon, because keeping this a secret might actually kill him.

* * *

 **[[ Annnnd it's happened! The bond has been formed! ;w; I might go back and edit this a little, clean it up some. But I hope you all enjoyed it anyways! Let me know what you think on my Tumblr or leave a nice comment! It makes my day to hear from you guys. Love ya! ]]**


	48. Chapter 48

**[[ Ayyyy Brit here with another update. I've got a couple things that I wanna say before we really get into things, so sorry for the longer-than-usual Author's Note.**

 **First of all, I just broke 100 followers on this fic's Tumblr! I'm thinking about doing something special for it, maybe an art stream (not that I haven't already done several), or writing a special fic. I'm not sure what you guys would want, though, as the Readers of this piece. SO HEY! Pop over onto my tumblr (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com) and lemme know! Leave me an ask with "100 Follows" and your idea! I want to hear from you guys on this, so don't be shy!**

 **Second, as I've already mentioned and should be kinda obvious, the end is drawing near. I'm aiming for the end of 'Act 1' of With and Without to be around Chapter 50, and that, BY NO MEANS, means that the fic is ending yet. I've already got a lot planned for Act 2, and I'm gonna ride this horse for as long as it'll carry me. If there's anything special you'd like to see in the fic, find me on Tumblr and let me know! I'm dying to know what sort of shenanigans you guys can come up with for our characters here to get into.**

 **With that all said and done now, here's Chapter 48. Enjoy! ]]**

* * *

There was something special to be said about the nightmares he experienced that night. They were farther and fewer between than the usual, and, unlike those run-of-the-mill terrors, these were far more…vague. Instead of having Chara's glaringly bright blood-red gaze waiting for him as soon as his consciousness left him, he instead was left wandering endless hallways in the dark. Familiar voices would echo down the corridor, but they were too faded for him to properly place. Some of them had him searching endlessly for his human, and there were times where he could see her just ahead of him but, no matter how loudly he called or how quickly he ran, he just couldn't catch up to her. A few times he woke up, his hands reaching out as if trying to grab her. He didn't even need to open his eyes for the reassurance to come, like a warm, steady wave coming from the gentle pulsing of her soul next to his, _within_ his. She felt so safe, and it was hard to be afraid when she was so sure, laying so peacefully in his arms.

Eventually morning came, though, and, for whatever reason, he awoke. There was the familiar banging of cookware coming from the kitchen that told him Papyrus was already up and about, no doubt making breakfast for them. Or lunch. He didn't know what time it was, but he wouldn't have been surprised if it was after noon. He'd used a great deal of magic, as well as having been emotionally and mentally exhausted. His arms twitched slightly around Lena's waist as he fully roused himself from sleep, jaw nearly unhinging as he opened his mouth in a wide yawn. The little flickering beads of light within his eye sockets were still blurred from sleep, but they brightened and became sharper quickly as he realized that they were not alone. A foreign, very human pair of arms were wrapped around his human's waist, but despite the small part of his mind that told him to panic, he didn't. Her soul was thrumming peacefully, calmly, trusting the souls surrounding it. He forced his gaze to focus and couldn't contain the short chuckle as he spotted the familiarly short hair peeking out just behind Lena's wavy mass of hair.

' _Heh, guess I can't blame her…'_ He sat up slowly, disentangling his limbs from Lena's. She gave a small grunt and tried to tighten her hold, but, after he pulled himself away a bit more, she turned over to bury her face into the pillow next to Brit's. He wanted to feel jealous but, for some reason, couldn't. With a small sigh he moved to get up, bones creaking slightly as he stretched his legs. A sudden grasp on his wrist startled him from his movements, and he turned back to look at the once sleeping humans to find one of them awake. Heavily lidded green eyes stared back at him, Brit's brow's furrowing slightly as if thinking over something difficult. Her gaze softened then, giving his wrist a small squeeze before she withdrew her hand, curling her longer body around Lena's form as she closed her eyes, obviously trying to return to sleep.

Sans sat upright and watched the two humans closely for a moment, eye-lights flickering slightly as they cuddled closely together. He wanted nothing more than to return to that, maybe join in and bask in that closeness for a while. Hell, he might even take a nap with them, despite having just woken up. …but no, he had something that he needed to do first. With the sounds from the kitchen guiding him, he pulled himself from bed and moved to put his hands in his pockets, only to remember he'd taken his jacket off, leaving him to run his hands oddly against his sides. He gave his skull a small shake, trying to jostle his mind a little to wake himself up. His jacket was hanging over the edge of the dresser, though he couldn't remember how it'd gotten there. He's fairly certain that he'd dropped it on the floor…maybe Papyrus had come in at one point and put it there? _'It's even folded…'_ he mused as he picked up the article of clothing, shaking it out briefly before slipping it on with a practiced ease. He immediately nuzzled into the fur lining of his hood, his hands moving to rest in his pockets.

He absolutely was not stalling.

…Alright, maybe he was a little. Not that he expected Papyrus to do anything else but forgive him for his awful behavior, but something about having to face how he'd been was leaving him feeling a little _rattled._ A sigh hissed past his teeth and he left the bedroom as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb the slumbering humans behind him. Once the door clicked shut softly he headed into the living room, pausing just outside the kitchen doorway. Papyrus was wearing that frilly MTT-brand apron, complete with disgustingly hot-pink hearts and ruffles and a picture of Mettaton's face, and matching oven mitts instead of his usual gloves. He stood at the stove, his back turned to Sans and his hips giving a little wiggle as he stirred a bowl of what looked like batter. He was humming an upbeat little diddy that was so _Papyrus_ , it brought a smile to Sans' face.

"OH, SANS!" Shit, when had Papyrus actually turned and seen him standing there? Sans started the slightest bit at suddenly being called, but his expression was as easy as it always was. "GOOD MORNING BROTHER! I HOPE THAT YOU SLEPT WELL… I WILL BE MAKING PANCAKES SHAPED LIKE LITTLE BEAR FACES AS THE HUMAN BRIT SHOWED ME!" The older of the two chuckled and stepped around to stand by his brother's side, smile coming more easily.

"Yeah? I can _bear_ ly wait." He saw Papyrus' brow bone twitch slightly, the mitt-covered grip on the mixing spoon tightening the smallest bit, but otherwise got no reaction. "I'd offer to help, but that'd end up being a pretty _grizzly_ experience. _Ursa_ -mazing though, bro, so I'm sure they'll turn out _paw_ sitively perfect if _polar_ the one in charge-" _Snap!_ The end of the wooden spoon went flying off toward the sink. Sans fought to hold back his snickering as he glanced up and saw that Papyrus' eye sockets were open wide, obviously surprised that the spoon had broken. The shorter skeleton began to say something else but was quickly cut off.

"SO! BROTHER! DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WISH TO SAY TO ME? …Perhaps something of utmost importance?" He lowered his voice at the end after hearing an aggravated groan come from the bedroom Sans had just left. Brit doesn't take to being woken up as kindly as Lena did, as Papyrus too easily remembered now. Sans chuckled and gave a weak shrug of his shoulders.

"Yeah, actually. I was hoping you wouldn't _fly off the handle_ -"

"SANS…" Papyrus' tone was warning, and Sans gave a snort of laughter.

"Alright, alright. I… Look, I wanted to say that… I'm sorry." The taller skeleton made a small confused sound, but Sans ignored it, pulling one hand out of his pocket to rub the back of his skull. "For, y'know. The other night. I was…well, you were right. And 'm sorry for saying what I did."

"...OH."

"...oh?" Sans raised a brow bone and glanced up at his brother, who looked as surprised as he'd sounded. He set the bowl down on the counter top and turned to gather Sans up in a hug, lifting the shorter skeleton off the ground and swinging him around.

"SANS, YOU BONEHEAD, I HAD ALREADY FORGIVEN YOU FOR THAT! THERE REALLY IS NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE, THOUGH I APPRECIATE IT!" He set Sans back down until his slippers touched the linoleum and pat the top of his skull with one Mettaton-mitt-covered hand. Sans ducked his head the slightest bit, grin spread wide across his face as relief flooded him.

"Sweet. Awesome. You really are the coolest, bro." Papyrus turned back to the stove, grabbing a ladle and scooping out some of the pancake batter to pour onto the ready and waiting skillet. Sans used his magic to pull down one of the coffee mugs in the top cabinet (really, Lena couldn't reach that high, why are they up so high?) and turning to prepare the coffee maker.

"...SO…There is nothing else that you wish to tell me?" Sans made a small questioning hum, not turning away from his task as he lazily measured out heaping spoonfulls of coffee grounds into the filter. "YOU KNOW- ahem. I mean, something that, perhaps, might have happened that…you would like to tell your dearest brother? Maybe?"

"Hmm…dunno, bro. Can't think of anythin' off the top of my head."

"NYEH- are you certain? There is nothing at all involving yourself and the human Lena that you want to tell me? Nothing at all?" Papyrus began fidgeting at the stove, constantly glancing between the skillet and Sans who was staring at the coffee machine with a too-wide grin.

"...You seem awfully energetic this morning, huh bro-"

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF ASGORE, JUST TELL ME ALREADY!" The taller skeleton was stomping his foot in a childish manner, his oven mitt-clad hands clenched into fists, and it was so familiar and nostalgic-feeling that Sans couldn't help the loud snort of laughter it pulled from him. Papyrus made small distressed 'nyeh' sounds as he waited, staring at his brother expectantly and hopefully. After a long moment, Sans made a show of taking a deep breath, getting ready to speak.

"...that pancake's gonna burn if you don't flip it, bro," he said, grin practically reaching shit-eating levels as he gestured vaguely toward the stove.

"SANS!"

"Oh, and I uh…may or may not have bonded last night. No big deal- _oomf!_ " Sans felt the air being knocked out of the lungs he didn't have as he found himself suddenly pulled into a near bone-crushing hug, the happiness radiating off of his brother in waves. A small blue flush rose to his cheekbones and he pat Papyrus on the back, chuckling.

"NYEH HEH HEH! I KNEW IT! OHHH, SANS, I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! HOW DID IT HAPPEN? DID YOU MAKE SURE TO MAKE IT AS ROMANTIC AS IT SAID IN THE DATING HANDBOOK? DO YOU NEED TO RE-READ IT? SURELY YOU NEED THE ASSISTANCE SINCE YOU HAVE NOW TAKEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO SUCH A NEW LEVEL!"

Sans was spared the embarrassing questions by the sound of a door opening, and both pairs of eye sockets moved to glance over at the now open bedroom door and the two humans standing there. "Oh, uh, good morning…" Lena greeted sleepily, her freckled cheeks turning a faint shade of rose pink at the absolutely adoring expression on Sans' face…and the overwhelmingly excited one coming from the taller skeleton. The lazy grunt coming from behind her pulled her focus back to Brit, who was draped across Lena's shoulders. "Heheh, she's not really awake yet… Um, do you need help with breakfast?" Papyrus set his brother down again and turned back to the stove, quickly grabbing the spatula to flip over the pancake. It wasn't quite burned, but close enough that it made him frown in disappointment. He had to pay more attention from now on…but how was he supposed to do that when this was going on?!

"Mornin' babe. You uh…feeling alright?" Sans asked, shuffling his feet across the floor as he approached the humans. Lena smiled and leaned down the slightest bit to press a kiss between his eye sockets, giggling quietly at the way his eye-lights flickered to look like he was going cross-eyed. "Heheh, yeah. I, uh…yeah." He gave a bashful grin and reached out to lace their fingers together. A small, high-pitched sound pulled them from their little daydreamy state and they both glanced up to see Papyrus standing in the kitchen, his back to the stove, looking at them with the most eager expression on his face. The Mettaton oven mitts were clasped in front of his face, eye sockets wide and sparkling. "Uhhh… Pap?" The large skeleton shifted his weight from foot to foot in little hops, doing a little 'happy dance' in the kitchen before he forced himself to turn back to tend to the pancakes.

It didn't take long for breakfast to be ready, and Papyrus expertly balanced ridiculously high stacks of pancakes to the dining table. Sans and Lena had barely gone a minute without touching in some way (a brush of hands, him brushing her hair behind her ear, her reaching out to scratch at the base of his skull the way she knew he liked, etc.) and it was only after a particularly grumpily mumbling Brit dragged herself to sit at the table that everyone decided to follow suit. Papyrus took his seat at the head of the table, opposite of Brit, and Lena sat next to her, leaving Sans between her and his brother. Before anyone could even get a word in edgewise the grouchy human stabbed her fork into one of the looming stacks of pancakes, throwing four of them onto the auburn haired woman's plate. Lena frowned slightly in confusion and glanced over at her friend, but any possible protests she might have had died on her tongue at the exhausted and downright _pissy_ expression she found there.

It was one of those mornings where trying to insist she didn't need to eat so much was obviously a _bad idea_ …so, instead, she made a show of reaching for the butter and syrup that had already been placed in the center of the table. Brit huffed a humorless laugh and reached a hand out to rest on the back of Lena's hand, thumb rubbing small, soothing circles on her skin. "Good girl…" The small mumbled praise went almost completely unheard, but the other human's face lit up regardless, and Sans couldn't help the amused smile that twitched upward at the corners of his mouth. Brit got herself a heaping plateful of pancakes and drowned them in syrup as the brothers helped themselves to some as well, the atmosphere quiet but peaceful.

"Des pfancaykse arr gud Papae!" The tall skeleton frowned as the human across from him spoke with her mouth full.

"HUMAN BRIT, PLEASE DO NOT SPEAK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL. IT IS RUDE, AND MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING…" With a roll of her eyes, Brit made an obnoxiously obvious show of swallowing what was in her mouth before she tried again, setting her fork down only momentarily so she could grab the glass of water set before her on the table.

"I said that these pancakes are good! Maybe sometime I'll teach you how to make buttermilk pancakes from scratch. It's not that much harder, and they taste _sooooooo_ much better. Like an orgasm for your mouth."

"NYEH? … THAT SOUNDS…MESSY. IS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?"

Everyone else at the table snorted back laughter while Papyrus glanced around at them, confused as to what was so funny.

"It's just an expression, Pappy," Lena offered helpfully, sending him a patient smile before looking back down at her plate to take another healthy-sized bite. She chewed and swallowed before she spoke again, using her fork to cut up the rest of her pancakes into easily stabbed bite-size pieces. "It just means that they're really, _really_ good." He seemed placated by this, because his smile had returned and he resumed eating.

"OH, GOOD! I WAS AFRAID ITS MEANING WAS MORE LITERAL. THAT WOULD MAKE FOR AN AWKWARDLY LOUD BREAKFAST."

Sans nearly choked on his pancakes as he fell into a fit of laughter, wheezing while Lena, red in the face, smacked his shoulder and Brit waggled her eyebrows at the two of them.

"Anyway!" Lena interjected, trying to cut through Sans' wheezing giggles and snickering. "Papyrus, do you have any plans for today?"

"AH, YES, ACTUALLY! LADY TORIEL WISHES TO SPEAK WITH ALL OF US."Sans' laughter slowly died off and he sat up, his smile still in place but a bit strained. "SHE IS GATHERING EVERYONE, I BELIEVE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS SHE WISHES TO DISCUSS, BUT IT APPEARS TO BE VERY IMPORTANT…"

"Yeah… It is. _Very_ important." His speaking apparently caught Papyrus off guard, because he gave a small, questioning mumble of his brother's name before the other continued. "There's some stuff that I gotta get out in the open, and it's…heh, _tibia_ honest, it's not great." The younger brother did not even react much to the obvious skeleton pun. Sans stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "But it's time to _patella_ the truth." He felt a soft hand slip into his pocket to grasp at his own bony hand he laced their fingers together easily, giving the hand a reassuring squeeze. "It can't wait anymore."

The tension the room held wasn't suffocating, but it was enough to let everyone know it was there, a driving force that reminded Sans of his predicament and gently pushed him into action. _'I can't afford not to care anymore…'_ Those were words he had spoken once, but he had no idea how much truer they'd come to be. With pancakes devoured and dishes set in the sink for later, the two skeletons and one human waited patiently for Lena to lock up her apartment before they all took off, beginning the short walk toward Toriel's apartment.

* * *

 _Footsteps echo faintly down the long and winding corridors, the air holding that familiarly stale taste that it held Underground. A bob of brown hair just barely manages to disappear around a corner, the stone wall beginning to crumble from the centuries since it had been built. "Frisk! Come back!" The pads of Toriel's feet smacked gently against the stone floor as she took chase, following after the child. Where were they going? Why were they still Underground? Could…all of their life on the Surface really been…just a dream? As she rounded the corner she stopped, giving her head a firm shake that sent her long ears flying. 'No! I must find Frisk. Everything else can wait for later…' Just as she began to follow, the room around her shifted and warped, like the space around her were being pulled through a narrow tube. Her head spun and she blinked, but the room was gone. Instead she found herself in a long hallway, seemingly endless. No doors or windows marred the wall's flat surface. It was all a dull and flat gray, the color having bled out of her surroundings. A figure standing just a few yards ahead of her caught her attention and she smiled, relieved._

" _Frisk!" she called out…but no sound escaped her. She couldn't hear her own voice, couldn't hear anything except for a soft white-noise, like running water, or static. Whether they heard her or not, she didn't know, but Frisk immediately took off running again, the very instant she moved toward them. She chased, running as fast as she could…but for every step she took, they were five steps ahead. 'Frisk, please! Stop! Where are you going?'_

" _ **Wait."**_

 _She slowed to a stop, her eyes widening as she heard…something…calling out to her. It wasn't a voice, wasn't a sound, but she could hear it. Something was calling out to her very soul, and she raised a heavy paw to rest over her chest as she felt it cry out in earnest._

" _ **Please, don't go…"**_

 _The smell of flowers, their scent cloying and thick in their sweetness, washed over her, and the memories they brought up with it left her nauseous._

" _ **Don't leave me behind…"**_

 _Toriel turned to glance behind her, just enough, enough that she could still keep Frisk in her sights. The golden yellow of an astonishingly large field of flowers was almost too bright in the dull grayscape of the endless hallway. Before the mass of flora stood one lone flower, all alone, its petals drooped and wilted, sad-looking amongst all the happy vibrant ones behind it._

" _ **Please…"**_

 _Tears were in her eyes, though she didn't know why, and the calling pulled at her soul painfully, though she didn't know why, and she wanted to run and scoop up that lone little flower,_ _ **though she didn't know why**_ _. It was with a significant amount of will that she forced herself to look away from them, ignoring the sweet scent as she looked for Frisk. They had stopped running, a short distance ahead of her, their back turned, unmoving, as if they hadn't just sprinted down the hall away from her. She tried to call out again, but her voice was still silent._

" _ **...please."**_

 _She didn't know if it was the light playing tricks, or the suddenness of their movement, but when they turned around, she could have sworn that they were wearing a green and yellow striped sweater instead of the one they were known for. Their hair looked a little too red, and their smile looked a little too wide, their skin a little too pale, and she just_ _ **knew**_ _that it had to be a trick of the mind, because…_

… _because…_

 _She'd been following Frisk. Who she saw at the end of that hallway… They couldn't possibly be there._

 _She turned her head and could have_ _ **sworn**_ _that, amongst the field of dead and dying flowers, amongst the browns and sickly greens of wilted leaves and dried-up petals, that she saw a flash of white and a similar sweater, and_ _ **it hurt.**_ _The pain in her soul, the way it was practically twisting and writhing in agony within her, crying out for what had been calling to her but had since fallen silent._

Toriel woke up with tears soaking the fur beneath her eyes.

* * *

The usually calm mornings are nowhere to be seen in the modest apartment. She had already called everyone to let them know that they'd be needing to discuss something of great importance, though just how great, she honestly couldn't say. Toriel recalled the small interaction between her child and Sans, the weight in their gazes, the age in her child's face that seemed to show through in that moment…and she felt far too out of touch. But now it was happening, and everything that she'd had kept from her was going to be out in the open, and she was afraid. What was she going to learn? What was it that her child had kept from her, that her friend had kept from her..?

"Toriel?" She glanced up from the stove and the kettle of water to Asgore's face, taking note of the way his thick brows were drawn together in obvious concern. The kettle was whistling loudly, the flames spouting from beneath it a dark lavender color fueled by her magic, and she felt a light flush rise to her cheeks as she quickly withdrew the paw resting on the kettle's handle.

"Oh, goodness, I…must have zoned out for a moment there." The smile she sent him was reassuring, but he frowned, reaching forward to move the steaming kettle to the back burner of the stove. She chuckled tiredly and smoothed her paws across the front of her apron. "My apologies. You can go sit back in the living room, I'll bring you your tea." She reached for the cabinet that held the boxes of tea but was stopped by another, larger paw resting atop her own. She blinked in surprise and met Asgore's gaze as he pulled her hand down, cradling it gently between his two like it were something precious. "…Asgore?"

"Are you alright?" His question was simple, spoken in that soft yet deep tone he always had, but it held just a touch more than the usual gentleness. She nodded, and she waited. "…Very well." He raised her paw to his muzzle and gently pressed a kiss to the back of it before releasing it. The smile he sent her was reassuring and trusting. "In that case, I'll go check on Frisk." He turned and left the kitchen in a few short strides, ducking just slightly to fit beneath the door frame, and Toriel took a seconds pause to compose herself. The usually steady thrum of her soul had quickened the slightest bit and, if her child were present, she was certain that their eyebrows would be dancing in delight at the scene that had just played out.

' _...But they are not themselves this morning,'_ she reminded herself, mouth pulling down into a small frown at the thought.

Frisk had been awake long before she was, and the bags beneath their eyes made her wonder if they'd slept at all. They had refused to eat breakfast and spent the morning either pacing the apartment or laying in bed with the lights off. It was troubling enough that she'd confided in Asgore, asking if he, by any stray chance, would know why they were acting the way they were. Of course he hadn't known, but the promise of them finding it out together had been uplifting.

She set to the task of pulling out enough tea cups for everyone who was supposed to be joining them, counting off in her head as she made a mental role-call list. Eight. She grabbed the special '#1 BROTHER' mug for Papyrus, sought out the 'qualiTEA time' mug for Sans, and even went so far as to find the worn and dusty 'World's Best DAD' mug for Asgore, giving it a quick rinse before setting it on the tray she had resting on the counter. She dropped a bag of golden flower tea into Asgore's cup and two of the 'regular' mugs for Frisk and herself, filling them with hot water from the kettle. She grabbed spoons and the bowl of sugar and placed them onto the tray as well, carrying it carefully into the living room.

Asgore glanced up the moment she entered the room and immediately made to take the tray from her, setting it on the coffee table for her while she thanked him quietly with a smile. Her eyes wandered over to the hallway and saw Frisk walking back and forth, into their room, then out, then back in, then out to look out the front window, then to peek out the peep hole on their front door, then back in their room again-

"Frisk, my child, are you alright…?" she asked, again, not missing the way they faltered in their steps. Their face was tense and their smile slightly strained as they signed to her, telling her that they were fine. She huffed a sigh, "Very well, then. Won't you come sit with us? I made you some tea." They looked like they wanted to refuse but, in that moment, a knock came from the front door loud enough that they jumped, hopping onto the couch next to Asgore almost immediately. She rolled her eyes slightly and made to get up, but Asgore raised a paw, smiling as he got to his feet, allowing her to settle down on the couch herself as he got the door.

"Heya, Asgore! I wasn't expecting you to be here so quick!" Undyne said, her eyebrows raising minutely, and Asgore coughed to try and cover a brief moment of embarrassment. "Hey Punk! Toriel!" The fish-woman easily made her way past the towering Asgore and into the living room, flopping onto the love seat opposite the couch and allowing her arms to rest on the back of it. A timid Alphys followed behind her, squeaking a greeting to Asgore at the door as she quickly moved to join Undyne. The instant the reptilian monster sat down she was pulled until she was practically sitting in the others' lap, yellow skin turning orange and blue scales turning a vibrant purple with their blush.

"Not in front of the child, please," Toriel gently reminded and the two of them split apart, moving instead to sit where they were just barely touching side by side. They had the grace to at least look a bit sheepish. "Wasn't Mettaton going to be joining us today?" Alphys glanced over at her and wrung her claws, her smile nervous.

"W-well, yes. He just, uh… h-he said that he had a shoot he was doing, a-and that he'd be here as soon as he c-could…"

"I suppose that's fine…but I did make sure to express how important this was. Hopefully he will not be too late."

"Yeah, speakin' of, what's so important? It's gotta be a big deal for you to call us all together like this!" Undyne shouted, startling Frisk so badly that they jostled, tea spilling out of their cup and down their front. They hissed slightly as the heat of it burned on their skin.

"Oh, Frisk, what on earth… Why not go change, my child?" Toriel raised a paw to rest on their head, gently petting their hair in an attempt to soothe them. They gave her a weak smile and nodded, setting down their mug and all but bolting for their room. Once their door closed she sighed heavily, meeting her gaze with Undyne, who looked guilty. "They have been…nervous all morning, though I do not know why."

"Wait, so… you don't even know what we're comin' together for?" At Undyne's question the ex-Queen gave a heavy sigh, raising a paw to rest on her cheek thoughtfully. "Geez, what is this, Secret Central or some shit?!"

"Language, Undyne," Asgore piped in suddenly, stepping heavily across the living room to take his seat on the large recliner just next to the love seat. The blue-scales on Undyne's face burned a deep purple as she threw her hands up, growling in annoyance. Alphys pat on the disgruntled monster's elbow affectionately in an attempt to soothe her temper. "We are waiting for Sans, Papyrus, and Lena now. As soon as they arrive, we will be ready to find out…whatever it is we're finding out." It did little to placate the impatient Undyne, but she sighed, slumping back against the cushions with a huff, muttering a short 'fine'.

"I-it's really rather o-odd that Sans would want to talk t-to all of us, right…?" Alphys asked, glancing around the room for confirmation. The two large goat monsters glanced at one another before Toriel gave a slow nod.

"He has…always been a monster who likes his privacy, that is certain. He has never been one to talk about much. Even I have heard very little from him about such matters…but you worked together, did you not?" Alphys flinched slightly. "Perhaps you might know the nature of what he wishes to discuss?" The reptilian monster tapped her claws together anxiously, beads of sweat already beginning to form at her temple.

"I-I-I…er… W-we did work together once, b-but that was a l-long time ago, and… H-he doesn't ever like to talk about th-that." A cobalt-colored hand rested atop Alphys head, scratching lovingly, and she glanced over to her mate with an appreciative smile. "I-it could be about the uh…th-the last royal scientist…b-but I don't know for sure…"

"Maybe he got her knocked up!" Undyne pratically shot up from her seat, fists clenched in front of her in earnest excitement. Toriel fought off amused giggles, raising a paw to cover her mouth politely.

"I do not believe that to be the case. Besides, it might not even be possible, since she doesn't have magic-"

"But she does! I heard somethin' about her putting up a shield… a _magical shield!_ " Asgore made a strange choking sound at the mention of magic, his eyes widening, and Toriel cast him a quick, narrowed glance. She remembered far too well how he felt about humans with magic…

"That could have been from something else… The damage done to her soul was unnatural and horrid. It could have been for any number of reasons that there was a shield present." Her words seemed to deflate Undyne a bit, her enthusiasm lessening as she flopped back to the couch with a small 'hmph'. Asgore gave an almost silent, shaky sigh and reached for his mug of tea, raising it to take a calming sip.

A door down at the end of the hall opened, and Frisk walked out with a solemn expression on their face, walking right past everyone in the living room and going straight for the front door. Toriel moved to stand and stop them, ask them where they were going (as her dream played so vividly in her head), but as soon as they opened the door, Sans was standing there. His hand was raised like he'd been just about to knock, sockets slightly widened in mild surprise, but then he saw Frisk and his expression sobered as well, though that usual 'lazy' smile was stretched across his mouth.

"Heya kiddo. You're supposed to wait for me to knock first, then you say, 'who's there,' remember?"

"BROTHER, PLEASE SAVE YOUR TERRIBLE JOKES AND JUST GO INSIDE!" The taller skeleton rushed forward and scooped Frisk up into his arms, giving them a big bear hug (or 'skeleton hug', as Papyrus called them). Sans only managed to sidestep out of the way to keep from being bowled over. He pulled his right hand out from his jacket pocket and gave everyone in the room a short wave, receiving a variety of greetings in response. "HUMAN FRISK, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? YOU ARE VERY QUIET TODAY." Sans snorted loudly and even Frisk gave a small, breathless giggle, and Papyrus' eye sockets bulged as he grit his teeth. "YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!"

"I think that's a bit of a _mute_ point by now, don't ya think?"

"SANS…" Toriel smiled and clasped her paws together in front of her, and she could see the way Papyrus' eye sockets narrowed.

"I'd say it's _quiet_ important, Sans!"

"OH GOOD LORDY, THIS IS IT!" The large skeleton threw his hands up, Frisk maneuvering themselves until they were seated on his shoulders, patting the top of his skull.

"Hey, what's the score, Tori? Y'think we're tied yet?"

"You mean _tongue-tied_ -"

"THIS IS THE WORST!" Papyrus wailed, running a gloved hand across his face in aggravation before he turned to the door. "HUMAN LENA! RUN, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE!" Lena had only just barely managed to get in the door and close it behind her when she was called and she glanced up, blinking in mild confusion. Crossing her arms over her chest she set the two punning monsters with a stern look.

"Come on, guys, don't torture Papyrus! It isn't nice…" she trailed off, her expression cracking as a smile pulled up at her lips. "…but that goes _without saying_." Sans looked at her like he were seeing the stars for the first time, the amount of adoration in his gaze almost tangible. Toriel was laughing behind her paw, and Papyrus fixed her with a look that held so much betrayal that Lena couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her. "I'm sorry, Papy!" She reached out for the taller skeleton who shied away from her, pouting as he slounched across the living room with Frisk in tow, who was breathlessly giggling atop his shoulders. The auburn haired human finally noticed Sans' expression and felt her face flush slightly, smiling back at him. "What?"

"There are _no words_ for how much I love you, babe. I'm _speechless_." Undyne and Alphys both sighed, Papyrus covered where his ears would be and screeched, and Asgore gave an awkward chuckle. "You could say that I-" Lena waved her hands in front of her, shushing him.

"Alright alright, that's enough! Don't over-do it!" she scolded, though she was smiling just as widely as he was.

A soft smacking sound filled the room and Papyrus flinched, pulling Frisk off from his shoulders, where they'd been slapping the top of his skull excitedly. "GOOD LORD, HUMAN, WHAT IS IT?!" A flurry of hand movements were made right in Papyrus' face, Frisk's brown eyes wide and flitting between the two still standing at the door and him. "SLOW DOWN, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Toriel gasped and pressed her paws together in front of her muzzle, eyes widening as she caught sight of a few of the signs. Her head whipped around to look at Sans, staring with great concentration at his chest.

"Sans, you…?" She raised her eyes to meet his gaze and he felt his cheekbones flush a faint azure, but his grin widened and he nodded. "Oh… oh my goodness, you-!" Her cheeks hurt with the width of her smile and she felt her eyes beginning to tear up, a wave of emotion washing over her. "Congratulations!"

"Wait, what the hell's going on?" Undyne frowned, glancing around the room with confusion clearly written on her face. Alphys squeaked loudly and began tugging on her arm, her eyes so bright that there were practically stars within them. The fish-woman's one revealed eye widened in understanding, her sharp grin becoming almost too big for her face. "Woah, no way! Holy shit, you guys _bonded?!"_ Lena's face flushed a deep red from the attention, her smile wavering the slightest bit as she began to play with her hair. "You go girl!"

"Heh, that's, uh…not what we came here to talk about, but yeah. It sorta just happened."

"Something like this does not simply 'just happen' Sans. How long have you two been planning this? We didn't even have a ceremony for you! Goodness, this is all just so sudden! I didn't even know it was possible-"

"Trust me, it wasn't…planned, exactly," Sans said carefully, smile falling a bit as he shoved his hand back into his pocket, rolling his shoulders with a shrug. "It was kind of spur of the moment. The magic they injected made it possible."

"Injected…?" Asgore's deep, rumbling voice broke through the excitement and Sans tensed, his hands curling into fists inside his pockets.

"Yeah… That's one of the things we oughta talk about, but that ain't the start." His eye-lights flickered over to Frisk and they nodded solemnly. The energetic atmosphere in the room broke, and there was suddenly a weight that had been long approaching but no one expected settling across the room. "Where's the tin can? He was supposed to be here too, wasn't he?" Papyrus huffed quietly at the 'nickname' and Alphys was quick to pull out her phone, claws tapping across the keyboard rapidly.

"H-he had a shoot to g-go to…b-but um, I'll get him in a v-video call so that w-we can all hear this." She pulled up the call and, after a few seconds, Mettaton's face appeared on the screen, his eyes narrowed and looking somewhat cross.

"Hello, darlings. I do hope this won't take too terribly long. I have work to do."

"Hate to interrupt the obviously important stuff you got goin' on over there, but this is important," Sans said shortly, tone clipped and impatient. There was a slight whirring sound as Mettaton rolled his eyes, lips pursed, but Toriel spoke gently, disrupting whatever bickering the two of them were bound to fall into.

"So let us discuss, then," she began, gesturing a paw in a circle meant to encompass the entire room. "We are all present and accounted for. Where shall you begin?" Sans huffed a humorless laugh and raised a hand to scratch at his skull, the soft grating sound of bone on bone filling the room.

"Good question… Not sure I even know where to start…" His gaze flicked over to Frisk, who was climbing out of Papyrus' bony lap to join him, standing before the small group of gathered monsters. As if only just realizing something, he turned to Lena, browbone raised. "Is Brit comin'?"

"Yeah, she just-"

"Yeah, she just needed to make a phone call," Brit interrupted suddenly, stepping into the apartment and closing the door silently behind her. She regarded the group of monsters with a simple wave, nodding her head respectfully to Asgore and Toriel before she plopped down on the floor next to the sofa, long legs stretching out in front of her.

"You sure you wanna be here for this..? I mean, a lot of this shit is gonna be over your head-"

"Hey, my head's over yours, so it can't be _that_ high over…" She reached up and grabbed Lena's hand, pulling her down to sit next to her on the floor. She slung an arm across the smaller woman's shoulders in a relaxed manner, shooting the short skeleton a grin.

"Alright… Then, I guess I might as well start from the beginning."

* * *

 **[[ SORRY FOR CUTTING IT OFF LIKE THAT BUT THAT DISCUSSION IS BOUND TO HAVE A SHIT-TON OF WORDS AND THIS CHAPTER WAS GETTING LONG ENOUGH! I'M SORRY! (Bro's already on me like "So where's the next chapter?" and I'm like BITCH I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF POSTING THIS ONE, CALM YA TITS)**

 **Be sure to follow on Tumblr if you haven't already, because there's a TON of shit I post on there strictly. You can see when I'm gonna do art streams, check out all the rad fanart I've gotten, and see some other quality shit I reblog because that's what I do.**

 **I love you guys! ]]**


	49. Chapter 49 (Completed!)

**[[ Alriiiight here we go. A look into everyone's thoughts and feelings about the whole ordeal. (I may or may not write the actual conversation as a separate drabble, but I don't know for sure yet. It will be heavily hinted toward later on, but still, I know a lot of you were looking forward to seeing it in actual words.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy! ]]**

* * *

"I-I'll just go and, uh, g-get the tea ready!" Alphys very eagerly pushed her girlfriend toward the living room as she, herself, waddled off down the hall to the kitchen. The rough sound of something scooting noisily across the floor signaled that Alphys had moved the step stool so she could reach the box of tea in the very top cabinet over the sink, something that Undyne could have reached easily. Her blue scaled hands were gripping a DVD case so tightly between them that she heard the plastic cracking slightly beneath her grip. If she weren't careful she'd end up busting the disk, and then there'd be no way for them to watch the rest of Black Butler! (Well, that wasn't totally true. Frisk showed them the glory of torrenting websites, so they could always watch it _that_ way, if they really wanted.)

It was wrong, though. There were little announcements made at the beginning of nearly every movie that talked about how copyrighting was wrong, and that you weren't supposed to redistribute works for your own personal use. But isn't that what torrenting websites were doing? It really wasn't _that much_ of a surprise, now, after hearing what Frisk had done-

The flimsy plastic of the case snapped beneath her fingers and she flinched, glancing her one good eye down to inspect the disk. With a heavy sigh she forced her feet to move her forward, stomping across the carpet around the couch toward the television. They'd just managed to upgrade to an even bigger one, the screen perfectly flat (and _delicate_ , Alphys was sure to remind her) and far too large for people who were just watching anime…but they got it anyway because, to quote herself at the time, "Why the fuck NOT?" She squat down in front of the console and jammed the power button for the DVD player, impatiently waiting for the disk tray to spit out so she could insert their DVD. It had been a pain in the ass to find Black Butler to rent, and dammit, even with the hours-long talk they'd just had to sit through, they were _going_ to watch it, and they were _going_ to enjoy it!'

Pushing the disk drive in a little too forcibly, Undyne shot up to her feet and stepped easily over the coffee table to plop onto the couch. Her leg bounced as a way to try and work off a little of her agitated energy, but it did little to help. _'There's no way it's true,'_ she told herself firmly, just as she'd told Sans when they were all still gathered at Toriel's. She was the Captain of the Royal Guard, in charge of the brigade that protected all of the Underground! There's no way that a mere child could possibly kill her. Even more than her pride feeling hurt, she felt her _soul_ was hurt. The very idea that Frisk would ever try to kill them…

' _I wouldn't have let that happen!'_

Her claws ripped into the plush fabric covering the arm of the couch, small tears breaking through the cream-colored leather and allowing the smallest tufts of white fluff to poke through. She raised her hand and growled a curse under her breath, quickly grabbing the fleece throw blanket and tossing it over the arm of the sofa to cover up the damage. It was small. She could fix it later, no problem. It isn't anything to worry about. None of this was, because it _didn't happen_ , _but her mind kept circling violently around and around, like her brain was stuck inside the goddamned washing machine stuck on the spin cycle, and it made her head ache and her magic swell violently within her and-_

"H-hey, sorry I took so long."

The tension eased slowly, like steam being let out from a boiling kettle, and Undyne's tightly hunched shoulders gradually lowered. Alphys stood uneasily by the coffee table, her yellow clawed feet scratching against the plush beige carpet as she shuffled from foot to foot. The small royal scientist seemed to deliberate within herself for a moment before she finally set down the tray of teacups on the table- one shaped like a blue fish, the other a yellow lizard-like creature. Undyne immediately reached out and grabbed her cup, feeling the soothing heat sink in through the ceramic as she raised it to her lips to take a drink. The liquid was hot, and she only winched the smallest bit as she felt her tongue get burned, but she pushed through it. _"It's not that hot! Just drink it!"_ The golden flower tea that she was drinking was the very same she'd made for Frisk when Papyrus had brought them to her house for a 'play date'. She remembered just how hotly her anger had burned, even hotter than the tea, and she'd wanted nothing more than to throw Papyrus out of her house so she could do what she needed to…even if it was _wrong._

She exhaled a sharp, aggravated breath through her nostrils and gulped down the rest of her tea, the searing warmth down her throat distracting her just enough from her thoughts and memories to finally take notice of the monster now sitting next to her. Alphys was tapping her claws rhythmically against the yellow-glazed ceramic of her own mug, staring into her reflection on the surface of the golden flower tea with a contemplative expression. Leaning forward, she set her mug on the tray again with a definitive _clink_ , startling Alphys from her reverie enough that a bit of tea sloshed out and spilled on her shirt.

"What's on your mind, babe?" The familiar theme song from the anime they'd picked out played as background noise for the conversation they were sure to hold. Undyne was sure because every time she asked her mate that question, she was answered. Over the years of building up trust, Alphys had learned to talk things out with Undyne, and the ex-Royal Guard was never happier to listen to someone ramble on and on about things, even if she didn't understand.

"I…I was just thinking…about earlier," the lizard-monster began tentatively, pausing to blow across the steam rising from the cup held tightly in her clawed hands before taking a small sip. "It…isn't entirely impossible. Wh-what I mean is, I believe him- er, them. Both Sans _and_ Frisk. There were so many instances where Frisk seemed to just… _know_ things that they shouldn't have known. Like they already knew what I was going to say, before I could even say it. It makes sense, if you look at it that way, though I didn't think time travel was even really possible like this…" A frown pulled down at the corners of her lips, brows furrowed as she stared even more deeply into her cup, as if it held all the answers she sought. "But it makes me question other things, too… Like why I found an empty lab with all of this technology already running, this research already done, with no scientists there to show me the ropes when I joined…"

"Y'mean there weren't any other nerds around?" Undyne piped up, thoroughly confused. Why would there not be any scientists working under the Royal Scientist? …Or, for that matter-

"No Royal Scientist before me except the one everyone talks about… The one who built the Core and redefined magic and energy for the entire Underground. Nobody knows who they were, what their name was, if they had any family…nothing." Alphys looked deeply troubled by this idea, and Undyne was quick to drape an arm across her shoulders to pull her against her side in a hug. "There's a lot that we don't know, and… w-well, I think… I think that we should be more afraid of the things we don't know."

Undyne shook her head, fiery red hair falling in front of her face. "You don't have anything to be afraid of with me around, babe."

"N-no, I mean… Mhh… I don't know. I just…have a bad feeling, that's all- _eep!_ " She flailed slightly and tightened her hold on her teacup as she suddenly found herself being lifted off of the couch cushion, arms sliding around her middle as Undyne lowered her onto her lap. The scales around Alphys' cheeks flushed a deep marmalade color with her blush, but she eased back into the embrace.

"I mean it. You have _nothing_ to fear, Alphys. No matter what comes our way, or who, when or where, I'll be here to protect you." Her single amber eye shone brightly with a determination she didn't think she was capable of feeling, and Alphys shivered under the intensity of her gaze. It softened after a few seconds, Undyhe's white fangs showing off in a smile as she leaned down to nuzzle against the lizard monster's cheek. "Now c'mon, let's re-start this anime so we can see it from the beginning." She grabbed the remote and did just that, settling down with her girlfriend firmly in her arms and in her lap. "Aishiteru, babe."

"A-aishiteru…"

* * *

 **[ Scan of Internal Memory 0014622… Complete ]**

An airy yet oddly robotic sigh barely manged to break through the sound of bustling humans on the busy city sidewalk. Ah, Manhattan! A city of light and life and so much beauty! It was somewhere he'd always seen himself going and, now that he was finally here, he…

…he wasn't really able to focus as much on it as he'd hoped.

 **[ Scan of Internal Memory 0014623… In Progress… ]**

Something was stuck in his mind- not the servers that served as a robotic enhancement, but in his actual, spiritual memory. Despite all of his attempts to find solid proof that what he remembered actually was something that happened, something to refute the nonsensical blabbering of a skeleton and a child…he came up empty-handed. All of the memories saved through his sensors and the feedback he got from his hard drive told him that there had been anomalous behavior exhibited by the human child. For someone who had never been through the Core before, they certainly did know their way around well enough. He tried to pin that on Alphys helping them, but they went in ways opposite to those her directions stated, almost like they knew something Alphys didn't.

Frisk wasn't at all surprised by his attacks on their person, and they even hummed along to the songs he sang.

Try and try though he might to find hard evidence against it all, he had yet to find anything. The feeling in his very Soul was that something was amiss, something was going on that was bigger than himself, than all of the Underground…and he wanted so, _so_ badly to be able to say with certainty that it wasn't true. But the evidence was piling up, and it was all in favor of time travel and Resets and Loads and Saves and spirits of dead children and soulless flowers. It was…ridiculous! It was all so dramatic, like something you'd expect to see in a novel, something of fantasy. Things like this didn't happen in real life, right?

…Says the person made up of literal magic and metal, right?

Another sigh, this one far more dramatic, and Mettaton threw an arm across his face, leaning back more heavily against the side of the building he was standing in front of. A talent agency. They were apparently looking to recruit some monsters as models to promote a new line of clothing. It was something good for all of monsterkind, and it involved fashion, so he was naturally quick to get involved. It was something he could stand to gain from, but it also meant that he'd get to go and talk to the tall drink of water back in Taobh that ran the tailor shop (something he was ALWAYS eager to do, if he were to be completely honest with himself), and that would mean more positive exposure for monsters. It suited his own goals, but it also gave a little signal boost to the rest of his species… Win-win!

 **[ Scan of Internal Memory 0014623… Complete ]**

"What a surprise, another fruitless search…" he hummed under his breath, brows furrowing just slightly as he closed his eyes and booted up another memory file, hoping to search through it-

" _Oh just kiss already!" he'd cried out, the romantic tension all but breaking the room under its buckling weight, and he can remember as clear as day the shades of orange and violet Alphys and Undyne had both turned. He remembered thinking about how gorgeous those two colors in particular would be in an outfit, maybe an accent of gold- ah, but he was losing himself in his thoughts again. The Queen stopped the kiss before it could happen. He wanted to cry out! The drama! The romance! The action!_

… _The bloodshed._

 _Like the crack of a whip, vines snapped tightly around their bodies. Bone began to crack beneath its tension, air being pushed from lungs and pained cries creating a symphony in the empty spaces the air left. And above it all, the lilting, lyrical sound of a child-like laugh. Cackling madness, he got knocked to the side. His ocular sensors were fuzzy, static filling his flickering vision every now and again. In the space that had been turned an ugly black and white, there was a tiny golden glow at Frisk's feet. They scrambled backward, hands moving in a blur of movement that Mettaton couldn't have understood even if he could see properly._

" _ **YOU IDIOTS**_ _."_

 _He felt his soul being pulled from him, and he ended up leaving his robotic body in his real, ghostly form, struggling to part with the body he was still trying to become fully corporeal with. He pursued his soul, only for it, along with everything else, to vanish before his very eyes-_

"Mettaton, sir?" The robotic humanoid glanced up from where he'd been staring off into space, meeting the pointed gaze of a petite human, her jet black hair pulled back into a tight bun and her chocolate-brown eyes as sharp as the pressed and ironed charcoal grey pantsuit she wore. "If you're ready, we'd like for you to come in so we can begin our appointment. Mr. Lauren doesn't like to be kept waiting." He huffed a small sigh and smiled, running cool, metallic fingers through the ebony bangs covering his forehead.

"Yes, of course, darling! I'd hate to keep such a beautiful specimen of a human waiting!" he cooed, and the human simply pushed up the rims of her glasses further up her pointed nose and walked into the building, muttering a short 'this way'.

* * *

" _...If I were a dog, what breed of dog would I be?"_

" _Hmmm... I don't know, honey. What kind of dog would you be?"_

He could already hear the laughter in her voice, even though she had yet to answer him.

"I would be… a _mom_ eranian!" Even without video, he can tell that she's smiling ear to ear in that way that leaves her eyes sparkling and the fur on her cheeks practically aglow. Her eyes were much more burgundy when she was pregnant, like the color of red wine in the light of a late sunset. He always got lost in them then, back when they focused on him with so much loving adoration, with respect and reverence. Even now, he still hasn't forgotten what it felt like to be in love with her.

His own booming laughter met his ears and Asgore glanced up from his teacup, brows furrowing deeply as a smile tugged up at the corners of his lips. "You sure are excited to have this child." She was, had been so inexplicably in love with their son before she even met him. "You know, if you keep making jokes like this…" There was conspiracy in his deep yet younger voice, and he snorted as the memory came back to him before it could even replay itself on the screen. "…One day, you could be…" He remembered the way her face had been so adorably curious, even in the dark of their bedroom. "…a famous _mom_ edian!"

"...Well, I am going to bed." Her voice deadpanned, but even with that, he could still hear the faintest wisps of laughter trying to escape through her tone.

Things had been better lately…better than they had been in a long, long while. Years. Decades. Centuries, even. Through plenty of patience and understanding, they'd become friends again, and…had begun to rekindle whatever it was they had managed to grasp before.

…before it was snatched violently from them, leaving them with bruised and bloodied empty hands and even emptier hearts.

" _I will be back in a few day's time. I… I need for you to take Frisk for me."_ He didn't know where she'd been intent on going, and he didn't ask, too afraid to break what little fragile repair they'd managed to build between them. She was a strong monster, one with emotional fortitude. If Toriel needed his help, then she would surely ask for it, eventually. He couldn't help himself from wondering, though. He wondered what she was feeling, where she'd gone. He wondered if she had forgiven him any for the horrid way he'd behaved, or if she blamed him for their children's deaths.

But most of all, he found himself wondering if she had returned _there_.

" _A beautiful bed of golden flowers, just beneath an opening in the cave ceiling. That is where Frisk said they fell from. It is amazing that they were not hurt from the long fall… surely the flowers must have broken their fall."_

Asgore raised a paw to wipe heavily at the damp fur beneath his eyes, huffing a shuddery sigh, teacup perched carefully on the arm of the recliner he sat in. It was not home, but Toriel always did know how to pick out the best armchairs… That much hadn't changed, even after their departure. That's where he'd settled himself, cup of tea in hand, as he finally forced himself to go through the videotapes that Alphys had in a dusty old box of things from the Lab.

' _Asriel…my son. You and Frisk would have gotten along quite well, I think…'_ He chuckled and glanced down into his teacup, blowing on the steam that rose from its amber-colored liquid contents and watching it disperse into fine mist before fading completely. _'Chara…'_ A deep pang of hurt swelled from within his soul, and he raised his free paw to rest heavily over his chest, scowling slightly against the pain. _'…I wish we could have done more for you.'_

* * *

It was strange, being back Underground after so long living on the Surface. Even though there was no real difference, it was almost as though Toriel could _feel_ the weight, the _pressure_ of hundreds upon hundreds of tons of rock and dirth and earth above her head. It made the air feel just a bit heavier, harder to breathe, if only a little. She barely paid it any mind as she strode through the frigid forests of Snowdin, the snow crunching noisily and yet soundlessly beneath her feet. When she looked back, she saw paw-like impressions left in the smooth clean white blanket of snow beneath her. When she looked forward, she saw a 'blank slate', an empty page that was begging for someone to write something on it. She stared into the vast whiteness only broken up by dark tall pine trees until her eye was caught by something else. It was familiar, stone and cold and covered with ice.

She stepped forward and almost tentatively laid a paw against the large stone doors to the Ruins, feeling out of place and also completely at home all at once.

This was the place she met her best friend. This was where he had stood when she'd asked for him to promise not to kill any humans that made it through. If it weren't for that promise, would Frisk be…? She shook her head. But…but no, they were able to just Reset when they died, right? Was that how Sans had explained it? She was having trouble remembering. There had just been so much…and, admittedly, there were certain bits of information that stuck out far more than the others. Her claws grazed across the smooth stone surface as she padded out of the snow and onto the cold cave floor that signified her very first step back into the Ruins. A chill ran through her that had very little to do with the frigid temperatures she was only just leaving behind, but she still forced herself to keep going forward.

She remembered her encounter with Frisk there. How they had pleaded with her to let them go, and she…she hadn't wanted to. She had been afraid, and lonely, and seeing a child that looked so much like- that reminded her so much of…of _them_ … A part of her wanted to hold onto Frisk forever, as if protecting one could make up for the loss of the other.

It didn't.

The damp and musky smell of the abandoned Ruins filled her nostrils, the air thick in her lungs compared to the air she'd grown accustomed to breathing on the surface. Mold clung to the crevasses and cracks in the stone walls, and moss grew along the floor in places. It was plush beneath her feet, almost like it were a green carpet, and it silenced her footfalls through the empty corridor. Without the liveliness of monsters roaming about, the flittering whispers of Whimsun and the soft squelching sounds from Moldsmals, the place was incredibly vacant…and lonely. Knowing that she was the only soul left down beneath the Earth's crust was sobering, and despite her strong desire to leave, to return to the sunlight and warmth and fresh air, she felt a purpose in her steps that led her onward.

 _Frisks hands moved carefully despite the tremors running through them, their sign language coming across as steadily as their shaking hands would allow. They all understood well enough and, when they couldn't continue, Sans stepped in and spoke for them. There was a sort of unspoken bond there that she was…quite honestly, jealous of. There were things about her child that she did not know, parts of her child's past that she did not get to see. She knew that, just as with_ _ **them**_ _, she had not been around for Frisk's birth, their growing into the child they were. She didn't know what sort of forces were at play all their life that turned them into the person they were._

… _But Sans knew more than even she did, and she hated it. "What the kid's trying to say is that-"_

 _Stop it…_

" _\- and they're not the kind of person who'd just-"_

 _Stop._

" _But despite all of that, they were still them."_

 _Stop talking like you know them so perfectly._

 _They're my child._

 _ **My**_ _child. I should be the one who knows them best. Why do you know so much more than I do?_

 _What kind of mother doesn't even know their own child…?_

 _You_ _ **killed them**_ _! Why are they so close to someone who killed them?_

 _Why do you two have secrets that I don't know…?_

 _Why do you two have memories that I can't understand…?_

 _Why does it feel like Frisk is slipping away from me, just like-_

The regal monster gave a forceful shake of her head, ears flopping about and hitting her snout gently as she forced the thoughts aside. Those ugly, horrible thoughts… _'Sans only did what he had to do. If… If I had been in his place, would I have done the same…?'_ She thought, tried to imagine what it must have been like. Seeing everyone you know and love die. Watching as the most important people in your life dissolved into dust before your very eyes. Trying so, _so_ hard to keep a promise to someone you didn't even know… _'No. I wouldn't have been able to do what he did… I wouldn't have been able to kill them. Not them…'_

A glance up showed her that she was standing at the head of the stairs, and as she ran a paw over the railing, she watched as the accumulated dust scattered into the air before settling harmlessly onto the ground. _'From the dust we came…and to the dust we shall return.'_ The once welcoming home had remained, for the most part, untouched. Her arm chair was still sitting by the uncleaned fireplace, her dishes from the last meal she'd had before rushing to the castle setting on the table. A strange urge to walk them to the sink and wash them came to her mind, but she pushed it gently aside and instead walked straight out of the house. The large old tree was still there, looking more gnarled and bare than ever before. The leaves that had been at their base were gone, swept away by some unseen force and scattered across the yard. Perhaps it was the mass of monsters rushing to leave the Ruins once word of freedom had spread. The leaves crunched satisfyingly beneath her feet as she continued to walk onward, the chill in the air lessening but still clinging to her shoulders as she moved through the catacombs silently. Her eyes roamed across every single thing and even here, she realized, she did not know what Frisk experienced. She'd been in her home, foolishly making pie for a child who had a destiny bigger than they could ever grow into, so much Determination that it could change their very world, alter time itself.

When she really stopped to think, she wondered if she maybe knew the least about Frisk and their journey through the Underground. It was a thought that made her soul ache and her heart hurt.

Eventually she found herself in a dark cave that, standing alone in the very center, held a small bed of grass with a small clearing. Light seemed to shine specifically over it, as if it held some sort of secretive purpose. The troublesome little flower that she had found here attacking Frisk was nowhere to be seen. _'There's no way that creature is Asriel. There is no kindness or compassion or love in that little deviant… Asriel had all of those things and more. Hope. So much hope…all of mine, as well…'_ Her eyes stung fiercely and she closed them, letting the memory of her first meeting with Frisk enter her mind. Though…it really wasn't the first meeting at all, was it? They had met her so many times before, gone through the same things, over and over again… She had always thought that they seemed far too wise for someone their age. Perhaps that was why.

" _In this world, it's_ _ **kill or be killed**_ _!"_

' _Asriel would never subscribe to such a hateful way of thinking…'_ Though, again, she had to stop and try to think. If she were a soulless being with the power to change things, without the capacity for love, for kindness, for compassion, for _anything_ , could she really be so sure that she wouldn't eventually do the same? After year after year of repeated time, of centuries of playing with it as though it were a toy, stuck in a body that had no soul and with a mind that was childlike in its emotional stability and lack of empathy, anyone would surely go mad. She didn't blame Flowey for winding up the way he did…but she _did_ blame him for killing Frisk, for attacking them and doing whatever else, only the stars knew.

A doorway was passed and she found herself standing before a bed of golden flowers. They'd spread wide and far, nearly filling the cavern they were growing in. The sunlight struggling to filter through from above kept them growing, the dampness in the soil and the secret buried beneath nourishing them to grow, healthy and strong. Toriel knelt down on her knees and sat back, hands folded carefully in her lap.

"Hello Chara…" She swallowed, her throat already feeling tight and dry, despite the overwhelming humidity of the air beneath the surface. "It has been a long while, I know. I hope that you can forgive me for not having come to visit sooner." The silence responded, and she sighed. "I did not bring pie this time, but perhaps the next time I come, Frisk and I can bring you some, and…we…" Her voice felt raw despite the lack of use, and she felt her claws digging into the fabric of her robes as she tried to find purchase on something, something to keep her from slipping into emotional turmoil. "I have learned a lot as of late, it would seem. …I know that you were far more acquainted with Frisk than I could have thought. Your souls are so similar, but their actions were so different…"

A soft rustling sound came from the patch of flowers just in front of her, but she paid it no mind. A trick of the wind, surely.

"You know, I was almost certain for the longest time that Flowey must have been you reborn as the very flower you loved so much. It's a silly notion, is it not? But apparently Flowey is what became of Asriel once their dust settled…" The tears that escaped her eyes immediately soaked into the fur on her face, and though her lower jaw quivered, her voice was steady and strong. "Frisk reminds me so much of Asriel at times. They are very kind-hearted, even for a human… I wonder if perhaps you would despise them, for being able to do what you could not."

"I know that you and Asriel had planned to save us all yourselves, and I… Heavens above, I wish I had been able to stop you. I wish I had known." She stared down at her lap, tears blurring her vision as a rueful smile tugged up at the corners of her lips. "It seems that I know so little, despite how much I care for people… I wonder why you did not trust me with this knowledge. You know that I surely would have stopped you. I still wish I understood why you wanted to leave this world so badly…"

"... I wanted to say that…that it's okay if you hate me for moving on. I mourned you for so long, both you and Asriel. I lost both of my children in a single night. It made me try so hard to keep the other humans that fell from leaving here, but I could not. I failed to protect even a single child…" A bitter laugh left her, watery and broken-sounding, but a resolute undercurrent kept her going. "I do not blame you, Chara. You were just trying to do what you could to save us…but that is in the past, and it must be left there. You're…you're not who you used to be, just as I am not who I once was. We are all changing, all so different, yet still so much the same. I've moved on, living with Frisk on the Surface that you wanted so badly to leave. I get to see the stars and the moon, and I can taste the saltwater on the air when we are near the sea. It is even more beautiful than I remember it. …I wish Asriel could have seen it, too. More than just the village and these damned golden flowers that he's now trapped within."

"I hope that you can forgive me…for moving on. I will do whatever I must to protect my child, and I will not let anything bring them harm."

"...even if it means having to betray you."

The sound of quiet rustling pulled her attention from inside herself and she glanced up, raising a paw to wipe at her eyes to clear her vision from the thick of tears so that she could see. There was no one. She was alone knelt before the golden flowers, all of them so bright, their scent so thick and cloying and sweet…all except for one. Just there, in the very center of the small field of flowers, was one that stood alone, it stem drooped and a sickly shade of green. The once vibrant petals were pale and wilted, and it moved every so often. The smallest little shiver of movement, a twitch of its leaves that she wanted to blame on a breeze that didn't exist.

' _...He is not my Asriel. He never will be. …but…'_

Standing, she stepped carefully through the thick of blooming flowers and squat down just before the solitary flower, holding a paw out to it as if asking to take its hand. The flower's face turned upward to look at her, and she saw that its eyes were wide, mouth set into a pained grimace. The ugly brown wilted edges of its petals crinkled like wrapping paper when they brushed against one another, and she knew without having to look any closer that it was dying.

She smiled and moved her hand closer, but a sharp snapping motion of its stem had it flinching away from her. Her eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed in a painful understanding. She slowly withdrew her hand and simply sat next to it, not too close, but not far away.

"...Hello, little one," she said softly, and the little flower looked up at her with a look that held a cross between disbelief and suspicion.

"...Hello."

* * *

"HERE WE ARE, HUMAN FRISK! ONE DOUBLE-DECKER CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM FOR YOU, AND A VANILLA MILKSHAKE FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NYEH-HEH!" Papyrus' expression was almost victorious as he slid into the driver's seat of his red convertible (the top up due to the cool weather, of course, _and_ nice and shiny from the loving detailing he gave it), ice cream treats in hand. He held out the massive chocolate cone to Frisk, who looked up with a slight smile and took it with a thankful nod, and the skeleton took the opportunity of having one hand free to switch his styrofoam cup to his other hand so he could close the car door. "HERE WE ARE! NOW WE CAN SIT IN PEACE AND QUIET WHILE WE EAT!" He gave a quick glance into the rear-view and side mirrors to make sure he was parked safely within the lines before catching the straw between his teeth and taking a hearty sip. The mild sweetness wasn't too overpowering and, though he didn't feel the cold the same way humans did, it sent a pleasant chill through his skull…that quickly became a very _unpleasant_ chill. Was his skull going to freeze and break apart? That's what it felt like. "AGH! HOW CAN I GET A BRAINFREEZE IF I DO NOT PHYSICALLY HAVE A BRAIN?"

Through his squinted eye sockets, he glanced over into the passenger seat, a smile tugging up at the corners of his mouth as he awaited what would surely be a stream of breathless laughter and the smiling face of a very effectively cheered-up Frisk. What he got, however, was the small human staring at their ice cream cone, chocolate brown eyes unfocused as they gazed onward, even though their mind was clearly somewhere else. He couldn't blame them, necessarily. The morning had been rather, er…'eventful', to say the least.

Learning so much in such a short span of time was rather startling, especially given the nature of the knowledge they'd had thrust upon them. His skull was still buzzing with thoughts about it all, but he didn't dare question it.

His brother wouldn't lie about something like that. About drinking out of the milk jug? Of course. Eating ice cream straight from the tub? Naturally. But this…?

Maybe it was just because it was _his thing_ , but he believed his brother and Frisk, and he believed _in_ them, too. He'd watched how Undyne had gotten moody, chest puffing out proudly as she proclaimed that there was no way Frisk could have killed her, let alone _any_ human, and, though he had felt the smallest semblances of doubt, he'd not spoken out on them. If that was what happened, then that was just how things were. Being upset about the past wouldn't change their present or their future.

A small hand tapped on the long expanse of his humerus, effectively pulling his attention from his 'brainless freeze'. The tiny, almost unnoticeable pin-pricks of light in his sockets flitted over to Frisk, brows furrowing slightly in concern as he saw the still untouched ice cream dripping onto the child's sweater. _'I have napkins in the glove compartment. Perhaps I should get them out an-'_

" _Papyrus?"_ The movement of their hands and fingers made him fall still, watching closely so he didn't miss out on what they had to say. _"Now that you know, do you…"_ They faltered slightly, fingers curling into fists before they shook them out, beginning again. _"Do you hate me?"_ His eye sockets widened and he threw himself across the center console of his car, the gear shift grinding painfully into his hip, but he ignored it, pulling the child against his chest in a hug. He heard the sound of Frisk's cone hitting the floor of his car and didn't even think about how messy it would be to clean.

"Of course not, Frisk. You are my dear friend _now_ , and _now_ is what matters." Shaking hands fisted in his scarf and pulled them even closer, a soft, hiccuping breath being the only thing breaking the silence. _'They are absurd to think that I would give up on them so easily. I am The Great Papyrus! Best of friends and biggest believer in things and people!'_ After staying like that for a few moments they pulled apart, a small smile curving upward on Frisk's lips in an expression that was equal parts apologetic and grateful.

" _Thank you."_

"Nyeh, think nothing of it…" He returned the smile easily, glancing from Frisk to the car floor, where the melted goop of brown ice cream was beginning to spread. "NOW… PERHAPS WE SHOULD TRY TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS, AND WE CAN GET YOU A NEW NICE CREAM, ALRIGHT?" It was a small gesture, but the way the child's face lit up, like their old house in Snowdin, made it worthwhile.

* * *

"Welp, I better be heading out." The door to the apartment had barely closed before Brit was already pulling on her coat, crossing the room in a few long-legged strides to gather Lena up in a tight hug. The shorter woman frowned and tried to protest, but Brit just laughed and smiled and waved her off. "Nah, you know I can't leave those kids alone for too long. They go nuts without me." She blew a few stray strands of brown hair from in front of her forehead, giving a short wave before she left.

Maybe it was the suddenness of it, or maybe the way she refused to look at or speak to Sans the entire time, but Lena knew that she was bothered by something…and she had a good idea of what it was. Not that she could blame her, really; Lena would have been upset, too- _was_ upset, rather. It was wrong, and horrible, and awful…but she understood the emotions behind those actions. She'd gotten the tiniest glimpse into that, the smallest peek at Sans' feelings, and it had been terrible.

With a sigh she turned and made her way to the kitchen, stopping only when she saw Sans staring pensively at the front door. A small wave of concern washed over her as she stepped closer to him, resting a hand on one of his coat-covered scapula. "Don't worry about her. She'll come around. She just needs her space sometimes…" The skeleton monster seemed surprised that she'd even said anything, but the sheepish expression he made made it easy to recognize that he realized he'd been caught thinking negatively. "It's… She's got kids, so things like this…" Lena groped blindly in her mind for something comforting and reassuring to say, but she came up empty handed.

"Heh, I know. It's _snow_ big deal, babe. I'm not bothered too bad by it." Lies, but she just nodded and gave a small roll of her eyes. "…Right, sorry. I just- …augh, this sucks?" He walked across the living room to collapse into a dining room chair, hands lightly gripping his skull. "I should have weighed out the positives with the negatives, y'know? I didn't even factor her into this mess. She wasn't supposed to even _be here_ , but-" Sighing, he cut himself off and raised a hand, halting Lena from speaking as well. "I know, I know, she's important to you, so she's here. Not saying anything against that, just… I dunno. I guess It was another unexpected variable. I feel like shit for everything I've done already, but this-"

"Sans. She can't help reacting that way, just like you can't help that you had to do what you had to do… She's not doing this to make you feel guilty." He peeked up at her through his fingers, eye-lights dilating slightly as he released a long sigh.

"I know… Sorry babe. Here, c'mere." He stood up and held his arms out in an invitation that she quickly accepted, resting her chin on top of his skull as her arms draped around his shoulders. She could feel his bony fingertips tracing the soft flesh along her sides, grabbing onto the meat of her hips and giving a small squeeze. " _Olive_ you, babe, so much that I feel like my soul doesn't have _mushroom_ for anyone else but you."

"Are you serious?"

"Hehe, I know these jokes are pretty _cheesy._ "

"Is this your way of asking for pizza for dinner?"

"I dunno, your cooking is pretty great. You always know how to _deliver_ a good, balanced meal…but eating out can be _slice_ sometimes, too." She rolled her eyes at him playfully, a smile flitting across her lips in that way he loved, the one that made her nose crinkle up slightly. His soul gave a steady _thump_ in his chest.

"Alright, you win. Go ahead and order pizza." He had his phone out before she could even say he officially won, tapping out the number to the closest pizza joint before hitting the 'call' button. Just as the call connected, there was a soft, rhythmic knock at the front door. Sans raised a brow at it questioningly but Lena waved him off toward the balcony, going to the door to answer it so it didn't interrupt the phone call. She'd only just barely gotten the door open when a sight of familiar silver hair and a kind smile took her by surprise, her lips parting in an expression of shock.

"...Gran?"

* * *

 **[[ DUN-DUN-DUNNNNNNN, THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW CHARACTER THAT'S ALREADY BEEN TALKED ABOUT A BIT: LENA'S GRANDMOTHER, AKA GRAN! What's she doing here? What's going to happen with Toriel and Flowey? Will Undyne and Alphys ever actually get to watching Black Butler? Will Sans order his pizza with pineapple?**

 **THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW!**

 **...or they'll find out next chapter, as things are wrapped up, along with the end of ACT 1 of the fanfiction With and Without. Thank you guys so much for reading, really. Leave me a comment to let me know what you thought, or send me a PM. Better yet, follow this fic on Tumblr (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com) for fanart, art, drabbles, announcements, and more. And hey, writing isn't something I get paid for, but I put a lot of time and effort toward. I've gotten asked about it, but if you wanna donate, then there's a link up on my Tumblr for that- no pressure, though! It took me a lot to get this chapter out finally, so I hope you all enjoy it. And again, I'm sorry it took me so long...and that I had to upload it incomplete first. But I didn't want to make you all wait.**

 **Love you guys so so much, you're all the greatest, sweetest, kindest people, and you're all awesome! ]]**


	50. The End of The Beginning

**[[ Alright guys, here it is! This is the end of Act One! NOT THE END OF THE FANFIC! THERE WILL BE MORE! I saw someone commented concerned about this being the end and I assure you that there is much, much more that I have planned.**

 **I'm sorry that this took so long to get out. We've been struggling a lot lately financially and I've been having a harder time with depression and anxiety flaring up because of that, so I didn't spend as much downtime as I should have to write. Plus I've opened up my art commissions on Tumblr, so I've been spending time doing that.**

 **I'm going to be postponing the next chapter by a little bit because I've been requested to write an Underfell AU of this fic- basically just where Sans and Fell Sans get switched somehow, and Fell and Lena's interactions. (It was bro. All him. He drew cute Fellsy and Lena art, too, and how can I not fucking write something for it when it's so perfect?)**

 **Hit me up on tumblr to keep in touch! My messenger is open all the time. Thank you all so much for being patient. I love you guys so much, you're so awesome!**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy.]]**

* * *

The woman standing in their apartment doorway was old, the years worn into her skin with every wrinkle the way trees grew rings. Despite her age, though, there was a certain beauty that transcended the years, an elegance that maintained itself within her worn body regardless of how her body trembled slightly. One soft, wrinkled hand was holding carefully onto the doorway, the other already extended out toward his mate in a way that was far too familiar. Sans only took a second to try and decipher why that was before the 'name' finally hit him.

Gran.

In his mind flew little snippets of conversation, mostly between his mate and her human friend, but he remembered hearing things about that name. _'Elder. Matriarch. Grandmother.'_ Even though human and monster cultures were so different, that was one thing that stood amongst them, equal. Phrases like 'Respect your elders' were common across both cultures, and he'd heard from movies and television series about how important it was to impress your significant other's ruling familial figure.

He stood, completely slack-jawed with his phone held to the side of his skull, momentarily oblivious to the voice of the now irritated human he'd just called.

" _Mama Jane's Pizzeria, can I take your order?!"_ Sans gave his skull a small shake as he pulled himself from his thoughts, his usual go-to lazy grin spreading across his face as he turned from the door to stand out on the balcony, faint blue magic illuminating the door handle as it pulled closed behind him.

"Sorry 'bout that. Give us a large Hawaiian special, extra pineapple." A sign from the other end of the line, and he could hear keys on a cash register being hit, the faint beeps breaking through the busy sounds of movement.

" _Anything else?_ "

"Yeah, I'd really _relish_ the gesture if you could put a few packets of ketchup in there, too."

" _...Sir, this is a pizzeria. We don't have ketchup-"_

" _Don't worry about it, Suzy! I've got ketchup in my office."_ Sans smiled as he heard the familiar human voice. He could imagine the large, portly human woman giving that ear-to-ear grin and sending her husband off to fetch the small condiment packets, raving about how nice it was to be getting such diverse customers. She was a woman that was an open book, honest about how she felt and what she thought and, even though that often wound up with her saying some rude things from time to time, Sans could appreciate that kind of honesty.

" _Patella_ Mama Jane that I said hey," he added casually, listening as the younger employee gave a tired sigh before doing exactly as he'd requested.

" _Well if it isn't Mr. Bone Appetite himself! Tell him that he needs to order from me more often! He and his brother were my biggest non-human customers- well, except for those dogs out back!"_ Her booming laughter was infectious and he found himself chuckling along, even though the person he was actually on the phone with seemed less than pleased.

" _Well if that'll be all, sir,"_ they bit out, the polite tone in their voice so false that it was practically painted on, " _that'll be $18.27."_

"Eh, just run it on the card you got on file. Thanks." The employee sighed, though he could hardly hear that over Mama's noisy wishes for him to 'take care' and 'spend more money on her'. He hung up and ended the call, shoving his phone back into his shorts pocket with a small sigh. It had taken a lot for him to really get to know any of the humans aside from Frisk, but he'd managed to come to the conclusion that not all of them were bad. The portly pizzeria owner, the young couple that showed up at the Nice Cream shop, even a few of the regulars at the hot dog/cat stand all ended up being pretty decent people. _'It's been a while since I've really taken the time to visit. Maybe I'll have to grab a slice on my lunch break…'_ He could imagine being greeted at the shop as he always was, with Mama Jane saying he needed to eat something, to _put a little meat on his bones_ (ha) and relax. She'd complain about how lucky he was, not having any wrinkles, and she'd start talking to him about trying to marry her good-for-nothing daughter, to 'make an honest woman out of her'. It was nothing he'd ever be interested in, but the fact that she treated him so normally was nice.

"Sans?" Lena's voice came softly from the doorway leading out to the balcony, and he turned to glance her way and give her a smile.

"Hey. Got extra pineapple this time." His grin widened at the way her eyes practically lit up, corners of her mouth turning up in a small smile. "Mama Jane said it'll be here in fifteen or it's free." The human rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"No she didn't. She'd rather feed it to a stray dog than give it to someone for free. …even though that makes no sense." He chuckled at the baffled expression on her face, but it was gone almost as soon as it arrived. "I, um, have someone I'd like for you to meet…if that's okay."

"Got the feeling that I didn't really have a choice."

"Eheh… well, you're not wrong. Gran can be pretty determined when she sets her mind to it…"

"Child, don't talk about me like I can't hear ye!" Lena straightened up and walked back into the living room, leaving Sans to follow lazily behind her, slippers dragging across the carpet. He'd only just managed to get the door closed behind him when Lena grasped his hand and pulled him to sit on the couch. On the opposite end sat the older woman, hands folded neatly in her lap and her expression full of patience. "So, Lena-bug, why don't ye introduce yer friend here?" The snow-haired woman's grey-green eyes moved smoothly between her granddaughter and Sans, pleasant but very much discerning. Sans tried to think of a clever joke to open up with, but none came to mind.

"Ah, right. Gran, this is-"

"Sans," he cut in, pulling his hands from his jacket pockets and extending his left one out in front of him. "Sans the skeleton." The old woman took his hand without thought, giving it a firm shake. The pleasant quiet in the room shattered by a loud, wet farting sound, and Lena's face flushed a faint red in embarrassment. There was no reaction at first, and Sans wondered if maybe he'd made the wrong choice here…

…until the old woman broke out into surprisingly loud laughter, eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that showed she'd been smiling most of her life. He relaxed a bit and his grin spread more naturally across his face. "Heh, the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. It's always funny."

"I'll say, child! I've heard of breaking the ice, but never of _breaking the wind_."

"Oh my goodness, Gran-"

"Yeah, I know, it's a pretty _shitty_ avenue to take."

"Sans!"

"Well ye aren't wrong there! Ahh, laughter makes ye feel young again!" She wiped a tear from the creases and wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and settled back against the cushions, her smile wide and eyes surprisingly bright. Sans slid an arm around to drape across the back of the couch, his fingertips brushing against Lena's shoulder.

"So, Gran, how did you manage to get here by yourself…?" Lena asked, her tone so insistent that Sans wasn't sure if she was just that curious for an answer or she was trying to stem off another round of puns. "I thought Violet went with you everywhere." The old woman's eyes were focused on her granddaughter's shoulder, but they moved easily to rest on her face as her barely-there brows furrowed in a slightly put-off expression.

"I've spent all my life goin' 'round by m'self, I don't need a babysitter now that I'm old." She paused, her expression thoughtful, before her thin lips spread into another smile. "Besides, I think Vy has a lad that she's courtin' now! Can't spend all of her time with some old bird like me!" A short, cackling laugh escaped her and she slapped her knee.

"What? Really? I had no idea… I thought Violet was too in love with the moon to-"

"Aye, that she is. But she's still a youngin', and even if she's not really courtin', sometimes a lass needs to put out the fires, if ye know what I'm sayin'." Lena's freckled face flushed and she raised her hands to cover her cheeks, looking slightly mortified.

"Gran, don't talk about things like that!"

"What? It's nothin' t'be ashamed of, child! Why, back when I was her age, I had every laddy in Dublin chasin' my tail. You'd think they were a pack o' hungry dogs and I was runnin' around in a haggis sundress!" Sans was completely lost (what the hell was haggis?) but he just kept smiling, casually sliding his hand down until his arm was resting around Lena's shoulder. Grey eyes snapped over to the movement and he froze, smile becoming slightly strained. "…So, lad. Sans, ye said yer name was, aye?" He nodded. "I only have one question for ye, and I want ye ta answer me honestly."

"I promise to tell the _tooth_ ," he responded, reaching up to tap an index finger against the fronts of his teeth, and he could _feel_ Lena cringe and roll her eyes. …Okay, even he had to admit, that one was pretty bad.

"Ye got a sense of humor. I can appreciate that in a man. A good man is a man who can make ye laugh. My husband made me laugh, even on the day he died. He carried all of my troubles and never once made me feel like I was incapable of being happy, even when times were hard. Movin' ta America was prolly one of the worst times of my life, but I boarded with a smile and him by my side." She gained a wistful, distant look to her eyes as she spoke, but shook it off, closing her eyes for a moment as if to recollect herself. When she opened them again, there was a strange sense of something in her eyes, something that made him think of light blue. "Tell me, Sans. What are yer intentions with my lil Lena-bug here?"

Sweat began to collect itself on the side of his skull and his smile turned strained.

How was he going to tell this woman that he'd technically already married her granddaughter?

From the corner of his eye socket he could see Lena watching him, a nervous yet curious expression on her face, and he could _feel_ from her very _soul_ how curious she was to know his answer. With a sigh he moved his arm from around her, lowering his hand to grasp at one of hers resting on her lap and twining their fingers together.

"I dunno how you humans do things up here, aside from what I've seen in movies, but Lena and I have been…'courting' for a few months now. For monsters, we know right away who it is we wanna be with from lookin' at our Souls. And Lena…" He trailed off slightly, a faint blue flush rising to his cheekbones as he gave her hand a small squeeze. "…Lena's Soul is the only one I want." There was a burst of warmth from between their still very new and recent link, and the smile on her face was well worth the small embarrassment of being so forward.

"I see… So what yer sayin' is that ye want to be bound to her and only her?" The terminology, 'bound', made him flinch slightly in surprise, another wave of azure flooding his face as he chuckled. "…Well?"

"Heh, sorry, I'm feeling a little tongue _tied_." The elderly woman chuckled gleefully and reached out to rest her hands on both of their heads, ruffling Lena's mussed red hair and smoothing her hand across the top of Sans' skull.

"Yer quite alright, child. …Though I do wish ye had told me before ye went and got hitched!"

"Wh-what? Gran, we're not married!"

' _Oh boy…'_ Sans tapped the tips of his phalanges against his kneecap, eyelights flickering out as he tried to think of how to better explain this. In all accounts, she wasn't wrong. By monster standards, they technically _were_ married…but Lena didn't know that. _'Oh god, what if she wanted to have a ceremony? What if she's upset because I didn't propose to her, and she didn't get to wear a fancy wedding dress, and-'_ A hand squeezing his own pulled his attention from his thoughts, and he glanced over to see Lena looking at him worriedly.

' _Right…right. That can…wait. Until later.'_ He drew in a silent, cleansing breath and released a slow sigh.

"Well if ye two are bound ta each other, then ye might as well be!"

"B-but we haven't even been dating for that long…"

"Yer grandfather and I knew each other for less than a month before we were hitched. Time matters very little. …Ye never know when yers will be up, my dear." A sudden heaviness settled across the room like a thick coat of dust, the silence more pronounced between them. In the joys of forming their bond, it almost felt like all of the negative, hurtful things had faded into the distance…but, she was right. Sans needed to remember that they were in a time of crisis, and that danger could be around any corner. "Yer friend told me about what had happened." Lena's hands fidgeted for a moment, and she withdrew hers from his grasp so she could pick at the material of her pants.

"Yeah, she told me that she did…" He glanced up to his mate with concern, seeing the way her smile had begun to fade. The old woman's eyes narrowed slightly and Lena flinched, her facade falling as easily as though it had been wiped clean from her face. "I'm alright now. Sans came and saved me." He felt eyes on him then, and he met the other human's gaze, eye lights bright and wide as she seemed to be looking, not at him, but _through him_. Her grey eyes settled just over his sternum, and his soul squirmed slightly at the uncomfortable feeling of being spied upon. "Gran… I promise, I'm going to be okay. Sans is with me, and we'll-"

"Sans." Something about her voice was strong, despite her physical weakness, and it commanded attention. Even the silence seemed to direct its eyes toward her, and he couldn't help but do the same. Her face was set in a determined expression, the lines of her face more pronounced. "Through all the years I've known my Lena-bug, she's never gotten in any sort o' trouble. And now, suddenly, she's near losin' her damn life? Somethin' 'bout all that just doesn't go o'er well with me…" Sans curled his fingers tightly into fists, the faint grinding of bone on bone filling the empty spaces between spoken words and heavy thoughts. "…Ye aren't a human, and I know that there's many who'd rather ye all go back under that damned mountain where ye came from."

"Gran, I-"

"Hush, child. …Now, I'm not one to fret o'er things like that. So long as my Lena-bug loves ye and ye keep her safe and happy, then that's all I need. And, from what I've seen, ye have done a marvelous job of that so far." A derisive snort escaped the skeleton before he could stop it, and the old woman's gaze softened knowingly. "Life will throw all sorts of hell at ye, child. Ye can't possibly predict every one of em… Her soul's fire is bright and well tended. You've done well." Lena leaned against his arm and Sans felt himself smiling, genuinely. He hadn't expected to need to hear any of those things, but he did. It validated some little part of his soul that had been uncertain, even though he'd thought he didn't need anyone's approval. "Oh, but if ye hurt my granddaughter…" Her eyes slipped closed and her smile spread wide, her tone cheerful, despite the thick accent running it through. " _Briseadh agus brú ar do chnámha_."

"Gran!" Lena gasped, verdant eyes widened in shock, but the old woman simply laughed. "Oh goodness, I can't believe you…" Sans felt as if he was missing out on something very important but, since he didn't know what language she'd spoken in, was left without a clue. _'I'll ask Lena later.'_

"Aye, child, I know. I'm glad ye'r well. But maybe call an old woman every now and again!" As if it was predicted, a knock at the door sounded, firm yet gentle, and Gran gave a heavy sigh. "Ahh, _Damnú aír_ [shit]! I went and pissed away the time I had! …Ah well. Come in!" Sans didn't even get the chance to ask why she was inviting someone else into a home that wasn't hers, because the door was open, and he was only mildly surprised to find he recognized the face. Dark skin and even darker hair, with amber-colored eyes hidden behind a few errant curls that fell in front of her face. In her hands was clutched a familiar branded pizza box, the sweet scent of pineapple already permeating the air. "Vy, my love! I'm so glad ye found me!"

"Perhaps it would be best for you to not go taking off? I could get arrested for neglect, you know," the dark-skinned woman scolded, though her tone were as gentle as if she were soothing a small child, relaxation and peace exuded from her body language. "Anyway, I ran into a young woman who wanted to know where your granddaughter lived. She entrusted this to me for you." She set the box on the coffee table and the lid immediately lifted, wrapped in a light coat of blue magic.

"Heh, thanks. It was real _slice_ of you to bring it to us like that," Sans said jokingly, curling his fingers as one of the pizza slices rose out of the box and floated just in front of his face.

"Oh, it was no trouble. I figured that I would find Lady Maria if I delivered this, so I should really be thanking _you_."

"Vy, my dear, why don't ye have a seat? We were just about to discuss what happened as of late. Perhaps ye could fill in a few blanks for us, hm?" The elder woman patted the space on the couch beside her, giving a broad smile to Violet who simply sighed and gave a small smile.

"I suppose I don't have much choice now, do I, Lady Maria?"

"Ahaha, now yer learnin', dear!" She joined the others on the sofa, her posture relaxed yet straight as she glanced around the apartment. Confused, Lena reached up to tug her hair over her shoulder, combing her fingers through it with a small frown.

"I'm…sorry, not to sound rude, but what would Violet know about what happened?" she asked, reaching to absentmindedly snag a few pieces of pineapple off of the piece of pizza Sans was trying to eat.

"I was there, actually. I know, queer coincidences seem to be commonplace today. I actually saw your lover's brother wandering about…Papyrus, I believe his name was. At least, I assume he was your brother. You two are the only skeletons I've seen walking around, but I apologize if that was racist of me." Sans actually snorted back a laugh at that, his grin spreading wider. From the corner of his eye he saw Lena trying to pick another piece of fruit off of their pizza and casually moved it just out of her reach, unable to ignore how her cheeks puffed out in annoyance.

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it. That's my bro." The dark-haired woman nodded, watching the little display between the monster and human couple with a faint smile on her lips.

"Very well then. But yes, I was there. They had taken me captive as well, though I was not treated near as badly as some of the others… The worst they did was move me to a place with no view of the outside." At this her expression seemed to darken slightly, golden-brown eyes bearing a slight shadow as she glanced toward the glass sliding doors leading out to the balcony. The sun was still on its rise above, just barely breaking noon, and Sans could feel without really words that she was missing something. That was the same look Grillby got whenever Sans would ask about the stars. (He understood now that he'd actually seen them for himself why they were something to be missed.)

"Oh, Vy, I'm so sorry…" Lena moved to wipe her hand on her pants before reaching out and resting a hand on Violet's clasped ones, brows furrowed in a look of concern. The darker-skinned woman shook her head as if to brush it off, though, giving a small chuckle.

"It's alright. Even though I couldn't see Her, I knew that She was looking out for me. So it's no problem."

"She?" Sans asked, brow bone quirked slightly, and Violet's face flushed a faint burgundy as her smile widened. "I, uh, take it you're talkin' about your significant other?" Lena and her grandmother both laughed, and it only served to further him in his confusion. "What?" Lena took the chance to reach out and snag one of the pieces of pizza from the box, holding it on the flat of her palm in one hand while she used the other to pick off pineapple and pop it into her mouth.

"Anywho, she was there. Did ya hear anythin' of interest while ye were there?" Maria questioned, and Violet closed her eyes and touched the side of her curled index finger to her bottom lip in a way that made it look as if she were thinking deeply.

"Mmm… There was a lot that I heard. Conversation between people. There was… _something_ …there. A darkness. It tried to touch me, but my protection spell kept me safe." Sans, who had just been mid-bite started coughing, gulping past the bite in his mouth and dropping the pizza slice onto the carpet, the lights in his eye sockets narrowed and sharp.

"Protection spell…?" He glanced over to Lena who gave a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Yes, protection spell. 'White Light Protection' to be more exact. The moon's light shines down upon me and She protects me from harm," Violet's smooth voice grew a bit softer, lips curving up into the slightest hints of a smile. She looked up to gauge Sans' reaction and, judging from the confusion he bore across his skull, he didn't believe her. She chuckled softly and gave a tiny shrug of her shoulders. "Magic comes in many forms. Not all of us have manifestations that are so simple."

"Violet is a practicing Wiccan," Lena offered helpfully, though the skeletal monster still had no idea what they were talking about. "Did you hear anything about _why_ you were there?" The darker-skinned woman frowned in thought for a moment, giving a small nod.

"Yes. I'll tell you everything to the best of my ability."

* * *

Laying with his spine and ribs pressing into the plush pillow-top of Lena's- well, maybe it'd be more accurate to say _their_ mattress, Sans stared unblinking at the ceiling. There were the faintest little bits of dust sticking between the textured ridges and bumps that covered its naturally flat surface, and he felt his faded-out eye-lights flicker between each one, as if the answers he sought would be spelled there. They weren't, though, and the dust only served to make him feel uncomfortable. Dust was a naturally occurring thing, especially Aboveground. It wasn't…it didn't mean the same thing it did to monsters.

Still, it was difficult to separate the two things in his mind. His sockets shut against the mental images bombarding him, the passing thought that maybe, just maybe, the dust that accumulated was left over from the war. That, when Papyrus cleaned house, it was the remains of fallen comrades long forgotten that they were breathing in. The thought made him sick to his non-existent stomach.

"Sans?" The soft voice he loved so dearly called to him from the other side of the bed, followed only seconds later by warm hands gently reaching out for his. She gave a small tug, and he wasted no time in turning over to look at her, sockets narrowing slightly as she held her arms out. He scooted closer and buried himself in her inviting warmth, nuzzling into her chest just above her breasts. His hands lowered to grasp at her stomach and hips, squeezing and squishing the flesh there, the tactile sensation bringing him some small comfort. He felt her arms slide around him easily, one of her hands raising to rest on the back of his skull. Her fingernails scraped gently against the smooth surface and he groaned softly, eye sockets slipping closed

It had been a day of a lot of information. First with him and Frisk coming clean with the resets, and Chara, and, hell, even Flowey. He'd expected that to be it, that there wouldn't be much more that would have to be said…but he was wrong. Between Violet and Lena both, Sans had gained a very clear picture of what was going on, and it was all sitting on his plate, waiting to be dealt with, and he couldn't even _begin_ to think about how to take care of it all, much less how to actually start. He'd already had enough to worry about with Chara possessing people, but now…? Humans with magic capabilities? What good could possibly come from something like that? What if they wanted to seal them all back Underground again? What if-

A pair of soft, warm lips pressed to the furrows between his brow bones and he felt an ease in his soul, something gentle reaching in and soothing him.

He wasn't alone in this.

He didn't have to deal with all of this alone.

His phalanges dug into the soft flesh as he pulled himself even closer to her, breathing out a soft sigh through his nasal cavity. _'With or without the answers, we'll figure this shit out together…'_ They laid together in a comfortable silence, and he could feel the human whose arms he laid in beginning to drift off into sleep again. He was very nearly joining her when an odd thought popped into his skull.

"Say…what was it your Gran said before? I couldn't understand the language." The arms around him tensed slightly, but only for a second, and Lena gave a soft yawn before nuzzling against the top of his skull, pressing a short kiss to it.

"It's a wishing of ill-will… It roughly translates to 'breaking or crushing of your bones'."

Oh.

Well then.

 _'Haha, fuck.'_

* * *

 **[[ And there we have it. The end of Act One of With and Without. There's still a lot of questions, I know, and not enough answers. Those answers will come in the next upcoming Act, so stay tuned to find out what the fuck is going on with all this mess! Thanks so much for reading. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think, find us on Tumblr, maybe commission me to support the writer, do your thing. Love you guys! ]]**


	51. Antici ,,,

**[[ I'm sorry for the sudden month-long break. I genuinely was trying to work on this chapter and trying to plan out the beginnings of Act 2, but financial stress and kid stress and just having-to-adult stress in general bogged me down. Not to go too deep into shit, but I've been struggling a lot more lately with depression, anxiety, and dissociation, so writing kinda took a back seat. I was drawing a lot more, though, because it was a lot easier, for some reason... Anyway, this chapter got done, and it's probably a little scattered, but here it is. I'm gonna be working my best on doing regular updates, but I can't promise anything right now. I hope you all enjoy this latest installment! ]]**

* * *

"Frisk."

The first streams of pale sunlight were just barely beginning to trickle their way between the curtains, splaying across the bed and warming its occupant into a deeper sleep. A sharp, agitated sigh split through the serene quiet of the morning, followed by the soft scrape of something solid against wood. Frisk felt their hair being mussed with…something, though they weren't sure what. Sleepily, they raised a hand to halfheartedly bat away the offending object, only for it to snap back and flick across the back of their hand, sending the smallest twinge of pain across their skin. Flinching slightly, they sat up and rubbed the sleep from their eyes, blearily opening them to look around their bedroom. The lights were still off but, with what little sunlight that managed to peek its way into the room, they could see everything well enough once their eyes had a moment to adjust. Another impatient sound came from beside them and they glanced at their bedside table.

"About time. I thought you were going to sleep all day!" a small golden flower resting inside a small terracotta pot groused, leaves crossing in front of its stem in a way similar to how one might cross their arms. The expression on the flower's face was annoyed, though only slightly. Frisk yawned, fully intending to lay back down and go to sleep as they were already used to Flowey's moodiness. "Hey!" the flower growled, summoning a vine that sprout from the soil in his pot and using it to tug at the blankets Frisk tried to curl back into. "Get up! Aren't we supposed to be doing something terribly 'important' today?" The child frowned for a moment, their still sleep-addled brain sluggish as they tried to remember…until it came to them with clarity, their eyes widening and a smile tugging at their lips as they began to sign rapidly. "Yeah yeah, calm down! Geez."

" _Good morning, Flowey!"_ they signed happily, their smile not being returned as Flowey simply huffed a sigh, his leaves crossing even more firmly in front of himself. They threw the covers back and hopped out of bed, practically skipping to their closet as they prepared to change for the day. They pulled on a blue and pink striped t-shirt and a pair of short overalls, taking a moment to look themselves over in the mirror. After a few moments of deliberation, they grabbed the faded pink ribbon from their dresser and carefully tied it around their head in the fashion of a makeshift headband. Their light-up space themed sneakers rounded out the ensemble and they grinned back at their own smiling reflection.

"You ready yet or what?" Flowey asked, frowning as he looked over the eager child practically bouncing on their lighted heels before him, and all he could manage was a small shake of his head as they nodded and scooped up the pot he was planted in. Just as they turned to their bedroom door it opened, swinging inward and revealing a freshly-dressed Toriel, mouth already open to speak, but she closed it and smiled at the sight of Frisk and Flowey all ready.

"Good morning, my children! I just came to wake you for breakfast, but it appears that you are ahead of me," she said, stepping forward and reaching out to straighten the bow in Frisk's hair before smoothing a paw across their chestnut-colored locks. "You look wonderful, my child, as always." Frisk shot her a brilliant smile, one that said 'thanks' and 'I know' all at once, and their mother couldn't help but chuckle. "Everyone is already here, except for Mettaton. I'm afraid that he will not be able to make it this morning." The expression on their face faltered slightly, brows drooping as they felt disappointment well up within them.

"Great, one less idiot to have to listen to," the flower grumbled, and Toriel shot him a soft but stern look, to which he mumbled and looked away moodily. She reached out to pet her child's hair gently, her smile patient and kind.

"I know that you were looking forward to everyone being here, but I am afraid that he had work out of the country again. He said that, as soon as he gets back, though, that he is going to take you out. Does that sound alright?" The bouncing beneath her paw answered that well enough, and she laughed as Frisk nodded their head. "Good, I am glad. Now, why don't we head out into the dining room so we can say hello to everyone?" They took off like a rocket down the hallway, leaving her standing in mild surprise before she smiled fondly, listening to Flowey scolding them for running so quickly while holding him. She followed, the soft, padding footsteps of her large feet muted by the carpeted hallway.

"Heh, mornin' to you, too, kiddo."

"YES, GOOD MORNING, HUMAN FRISK!"

"Good morning! I hope you slept well!"

"Heya punk! G'mornin'!"

"M-morning…"

"Howdy there, Frisk! Good morning!"

The familiar voices of familiar friends greeted her as she entered the dining area and she was not surprised the least bit to find Frisk all but attached to Lena, their head resting on her shoulder as Flowey tried to scoot himself further away within his pot. The auburn-haired woman chuckled kindly and pet their hair until they pulled away to take their seat between her and the empty chair reserved for Toriel. The taller of the skeleton brothers was conversing with Undyne about something having to do with integrating puzzles into local law enforcement (yikes!) and Alphys looked like she wanted to have a heart-attack just at the thought. Undyne, however, was eagerly chattering in return, getting so thoroughly excited that she began to raise her voice without meaning to. She slammed a hand onto the table and all of the plates clattered noisily, the precarious stack of waffles tilting the slightest bit at the disruption. Toriel watched as the soft lights in Sans' eye sockets flitted over to the source of noise calmly before returning them to his mate's face. She could remember a time where he would have stiffened, the fastest little flash of fear crossing over his face as his magic flared defensively… _'She really has done wonders for his soul,'_ she thought with a smile forming on her muzzle. Taking a deep breath, she rested her paws on her wide hips and shot Undyne a softly chiding glance. The aquatic monster grinned sheepishly and moved her hands slowly to her lap before continuing her conversation, albeit on a (slightly) calmer level.

This was what she'd always dreamed of. When they had all woken up with The Barrier finally broken and gone, nothing left to hold them down, this was the one thing she'd pictured first. An easy, simple, domestic breakfast with everyone. Maybe their life wasn't the easiest, and it was far from being the picture-perfect 1950s rendition of 'The American Dream' that so many magazine inserts from the garbage dump had depicted, but it was theirs. It was theirs, and it was _real_ , and her child was there.

…Her _children_ were there.

A small leaf smacking away an offered bite of waffle caught her eye and she gave a slow sigh through her nostrils, reminding herself that, though he may not be her Asriel, he was her son. There was still much she didn't know for certain of the bitter little flower, but the fact that he was what remained of Asriel was the single, grounding thing she _did_ know, and it was what kept her patient with him through all of his fits and tantrums.

And there were many, many fits and tantrums…

"Alright everyone, let's settle down and eat!" Tori finally says, just loud enough for everyone to hear her over the combined chatter of voices, and almost immediately everyone quiets down. The feeling of having a family to sit at the table with again, a full, complete family, was almost too much for her soul to bear. There were the smallest traces of tears gathering in the corners of her rubiescent eyes as she took her seat, looking around at all the people she loved and feeling, for the first time in a long while, that her life was full.

* * *

Despite how pleasant the meal had been, however, it didn't dismiss the concerns that were still very present on everyone's minds. The looming shadow, although more distant than it had been previously, still lingered overhead, and everyone had it ingrained within their thoughts to be cautious. Asgore and Toriel both, as leaders among the monster community, had made a statement regarding the happenings of the fateful night at the warehouse. A few monsters cried out ill will against humans as a whole, but a stern look from the former Queen reminded them all of their place, and many felt shame as they remembered that it had been Frisk, _a human_ , who had freed them from their prison beneath the earth.

Doctor Alphys (as she was one of the very few monsters able to get their degrees accredited Aboveground) was given the task of monitoring the souls of the monsters in the area. It wasn't something they were accustomed to, but now she found herself busy with performing 'check ups'. Being a doctor of a different science, she had naturally tried to protest, but Undyne's spirited pep-talk and Papyrus' belief in her left her with little way to refuse.

The doctor let a small sigh slip as she pulled up the monitor resting on her desk, a digitized image of the small, inverted heart-shaped soul appearing on the screen. A series of numbers and statistics appeared beside it, and her eyes glanced over them with a practiced quickness before she glanced up from the device. She met the nervous canine expression and tried not to roll her eyes at the pathetic whimpering. (Even she thought it was kind of pathetic, considering who it was she was dealing with.)

"Th-there's no need to worry, Dogamy, everything l-looks fine!" she said cheerfully, and Dogamy breathed a heavy sigh of relief, turning and nuzzling his wet nose against his mate's belly. A gentle growl from Dogaressa had him pausing but, when she returned the affection by nudging her muzzle against his ear, he continued it whole-heartedly. The female canine monster held a paw against her massively swollen belly, the action both fond and protective. Glancing up from her mate, Dogaressa fixed Alphys with a curious look, her head cocked the slightest bit to one side.

"Would you mind checking on their growth as well?" she asked, gesturing down to her pregnant belly with a soft white paw, and the reptilian monster was quick to recalibrate the sensors with a short muttering of 'yes, of course'. The screen flickered briefly as the sensors switched from searching for Dogaressa's soul, and the monitor was suddenly flooded with six nearly identical soul-images. She knew well enough what to look for and, when she saw that one of the souls was slightly smaller, its pointed end more rounded, the crests less defined, she suddenly wished that Dogaressa had never asked. "What is it?" The other female's voice broke Alphys from her concentration and she flinched, the monitor clattering slightly to land on her desk as she fidgeted with her hands. Dogaressa was watching her pointedly, ears laid back slightly and her expression guarded.

"Ah, um, w-well, they l-look fine…" She tried to think of how to continue and, when she saw that her lingering was only making Dogamy more nervous, she blurted out, "b-b-but one is smaller th-than the r-rest and I-isn't as well sh-shaped!"

"Oh, is that all?" the male canine said, his ears perking up slightly as he breathed another relieved sigh, and his mate barked a laugh.

"That's common to monsters who have litters like we do. In animals here aboveground, as well!"

"O-oh…" Alphys mumbled, claws clicking against the desk as she glanced between the screen she'd dropped (and thankfully had not broken) and the monster couple. "W-well, if that's the case, then you have f-five healthy souls, and one, erm…"

"Runt," both dogs offered, and they leaned forward to nuzzle their noses together affectionately.

"R-right, five healthy souls and o-one runt… W-was there anything else you needed?" The two dog monster glanced at one another, clearly communicating through the silence and their met eyes, and Alphys began to tap her clawed fingers against her desk's surface, waiting anxiously for them to- well, saying that she wanted them to leave was rude. …She did, though. They were her last appointment of the day and she wanted to go home. Being out and about was nerve-wracking.

"Hmm… No, so long as they're healthy, that was all we were worried about." A sigh of relief, and the doctor gave them a nervous smile. "Thank you for doing this, Alphys. We know that it must be difficult, checking over every one like this." Dogaressa leveled the reptilian monster with a seriousness in her gaze that made Alphys stop fidgeting. The warm smile that curved up on the other's muzzle was genuine and sincere, and it filled her soul with warmth. "We won't keep you. Do you have anyone escorting you home?"

"Ah… uh, y-yes. Undyne is coming t-to pick me up h-here soon." The canines gave an approving nod before turning to one another again, noses brushing against one another in a definitive nuzzling motion as Dogaressa slid down from the exam table and pulled her shirt down over her swollen belly. Giving the replaced shirt a gentle pat, Dogaressa glanced up at the doctor with a cocked brow, lips parted in a somewhat sly grin that showed off her pearly white fangs.

"So…when are you and Undyne going to give Monsterkind an adorable little fish-lizard hybrid?" Yellow scales immediately burned a deep reddish orange as Alphys blushed deeply, hands flying to her face as she rested them on her cheeks, sputtering unintelligibly. The Dogi just laughed heartily and gave her an affectionate parting pat on the shoulder, their paws feeling heavy as she curled in on herself.

…Honestly, though, it isn't like it's something she'd never even considered. Not like there were sketches hidden away deep in her stash of drawings and OTP-related notes of what sort of children they might have. Doodles of different types of aquatic monsters, or ones with physicial traits based off of different breeds of lizards on the Surface filled the margins of every page, all of them with the same stunning soul as her mate. The thoughts filled her soul with an odd twisting sensation and she felt a shiver run through her that left as a twitch of the very end of her tail.

"...-phys? Hey!" The scientist whirled around, soul pulsing heavily within her chest at the startlingly sudden voice, and the tails of her lab coat went flying about her as she turned and looked up to find- oh, good, it was just Undyne. She's so glad that _she_ was the one to catch her mid-daydream about having future babies with her.

…Can a narrative be sarcastic?

The scales above her cheeks reddened even more and Alphys quickly gave a nervous smile. "O-oh, um, sorry U-Undyne, I was just, uh…" The fish-woman quirked a brow at her expectantly, obviously waiting for an answer, but the words on Alphys' tongue died off, so she was left floundering (ugh, Sans would've been proud of that one) and gaping as her mind tried to grasp for words and failed. Apparently getting impatient Undyne barked out a loud laugh, a hand flying out to pet one of the scaled crests on the top of her head with webbed fingers.

"Hey, don't worry about it! I know you've been super busy with all of this doctor-y stuff." Well, that wasn't a complete lie. "Anyway, Dogaressa and Dogamy left a little bit ago. I tried waiting out in the lobby for you but I got sick of that and came to get you anyway!" It was so typical Undyne that Alphys felt herself relax, a small chuckle escaping her as she reached a clawed hand up to rub along one of the crests along the side of her head. "Anyway, c'mon! Papyrus is coming over to our house tonight, so we gotta get everything ready!"

"Oh…again?" she asked, and the taller monster looked down at her with a sly smirk. Alphys' mouth turned up into a giddy smile, her cheeks aglow with a small blush.

"Yeah, again. At least we had some more warning this time. Someone really oughta tell Lena to be quieter-"

"U- _Undyne!_ " Alphys cried, though she was practically giggling with absolute glee. The laughter increased as she suddenly found herself hefted up into a pair of strong, familiar arms, and her soul's beats soothed in the presence of its mate's own confident pulse. "Well, w-we could always try and g-get him started on Dr-Dragon Ball Z…" Undyne made a small, thoughtful sound, mouth screwing up into an expression of contemplation.

"...Wasn't there some anime that had this tall skeleton dude? We could totally talk Papyrus into cosplay if we show that to him!"

"O-oh! I think I know what you're talking about! …Pfft- b-but Papyrus would look ridiculous with an afro." With her mate in her arms, Undyne helped to make sure the office was locked up and secured good and tight before they started on their trip back home.

* * *

"This is awfully sudden… Are you sure that you have everything you need? Do you want me to go with you?"

Papyrus grabbed a spare pair of gloves and folded them before placing them neatly into his suitcase, right on top of his favorite "RADICAL SKELETON" t-shirt that he had made himself. The bottom where he'd cut it to be shorter was beginning to fray, loose strands of thread hanging here and there as the garmet tried to unravel. He'd have to make a visit to their friend Kupanda at some point. There wasn't a monster he knew that was better at making clothing than him and, despite not knowing the towering monster very well, he was almost eager to talk to another fashion-conscious soul. He glanced around his room and caught sight of an errant sock (with a hole in it, no less!) and felt his browbone twitch in mild annoyance. The smile that spread across his face outweighed it, though, and he heaved a dramatic sigh as he closed his suitcase with a sense of finality, zipping it closed.

"IT'S QUITE ALRIGHT! I'M JUST GOING TO BE SPENDING THE WEEKEND AT UNDYNE'S HOUSE, I DON'T NEED TO BE DROPPED OFF," he said with a certainty as he lifted the bag effortlessly from his mattress. It wasn't necessarily a long enough stay to warrant packing a whole suitcase, but…what if they wanted to go out to dinner? And what if it was a nice place? He'd need clothes suitable for that sort of event! And there was an occasional chance of Mettaton showing up to see Alphys about something or another, and he'd want to look his best! He grabbed the handle for the suitcase and it extended, the base of it landing wheels-first on the carpet with a dull _thump_. "THAT WAY YOU AND SANS CAN BE HOME. …ALONE. …WITH NO ONE ELSE WHO MIGHT OVERHEAR ANYTHING." The human's pale skin slowly morphed to varying shades of red, spreading right across the bridge of her nose and her cheekbones. She spluttered quietly and he couldn't help but chuckle. It was times like those that he could see why his brother was so taken with her. She was an awfully adorable human. Papyrus reached a gloved hand out and pat her on the head, sending her a reassuring grin. "WORRY NOT! I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE YOU YOUR NECESSARY CANOODLING TIME! EVEN IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT MYSELF, I WON'T JUDGE YOU FOR WANTING TO…nyeheh… _BONE_ MY BROTHER." A loud snort pulled from the human's throat and she looked up at him, eyes wide with shock even though she was already trying to resist the urge to double over laughing. His chest puffed proudly at his joke, very, _very_ grateful that Sans was nowhere around to hear it.

* * *

The perfectly dressed hotdog had just been passed over to his patron- a human couple that showed more PDA than an electronics store (heh, good one)- when _something_ made him break out into a grin. There was no prompting it, really, and there was no reason for it that he could think of, but something just seemed to tickle his funnybone. Shaking his head with a small chuckle, he sat back on his stool behind his hotdog cart and kicked his slippered feet up to rest on the cart's handle, leaning back against the park fence he was sat in front of.

It was time for his federally mandated break, afterall, and as he closed his eyes, he figured that a nap wouldn't hurt anything. He'd wake up if there were customers.

* * *

With all that had been happening recently within the monster community, school had been put on a small hold. It was only a week, but the pause was meant to be a little break for the instructors, time for them to come to terms with all of the information they'd been given and to also prepare to deal with their students. There were several monster children within their school that had lost someone, and, though grief was spread throughout all of them as a society, it would most certainly weigh on their less experienced, more delicate souls more heavily.

" _Be prepared to give them counseling,"_ the ex-Queen had said, a sad smile curving up on her muzzle as she clasped her hands in front of her. _"Be patient with them, and be willing to try and explain as much as you can. They will have questions, and, I am certain, many people will not wish to answer them. If any of our children are struggling, please, send them to me. Asgore and I can try and explain in kind words what is happening and why. The last thing we want, though, is for them to feel left out. Young or not, they are still citizens, and they deserve to at least be aware of what is happening, and why we are keeping everyone on such tight watch."_

Naturally, the initial reason for this 'break' was so that Lena could recover, but it would also give them a little time to think and plan for the upcoming future, as unforseeable as it might be. But a week had quickly turned into three, very nearly a month, and the children still had yet to return to class. And, as it turned out, it had very little to actually do with their human teacher. Toriel had quite the talk with everyone when she had returned from the Underground with Flowey in tow, and to such varying reactions. The happiness in Frisk's face was burned into her soul and she could never regret bringing them such happiness…but Sans' reaction had worried her. The distrustful way he would glare at the little flower was concerning but, considering everything he and Frisk had told them, it was understandable. …Still, the spike of protectiveness it brought forth in her was startling, and she had to wonder if it was because of who she now knew he used to be, or if it was because of Frisk.

Either way, bringing up the subject of having Flowey start attending class with Frisk was a difficult one.

Sans had disagreed and refused outright, without so much as giving her a chance to explain, and it took Papyrus and Lena _both_ scolding him and her pleading for him to listen before he quieted. She understood his dislike and distrust, but still, this was her child, and Sans had to accept that. Being her best friend, she had hoped he would be more understanding… Though, from what Flowey had done in the past, she could see why he was so resistant to having him in Lena's classroom.

Flowey seemed just as against it, bitterly saying that he'd seen and done it all already, that there was nothing new for him to learn. Still, Lena welcomed him with open arms, and the flower seemed almost startled for all of half a second before he turned away, petals curling in around his face as if he were hiding. The human had been very understanding, though she was obviously wary of the little flower and his abilities. His bitterness and his abrasiveness when it came to conversation was enough to turn anyone away, and it was exhausting, but Frisk seemed to not be affected by any of it. There wasn't anyone else who could handle him, and if anyone could get him to ease up and become more open and kind, then it was Frisk and Lena.

* * *

"So what you're saying is that you're gonna be in our class?" Flowey sighed in irritation from his flowerpot, glancing around at the small circle of children who'd gathered around him with a frown. Frisk was sitting practically squished up against Monster Kid's side, the reptilian monster glancing between him and the human so fast that it looked like his head would pop off. On the opposite side of them sat Ven, his arms crossed over his striped vest and a skeptical look in his eyes. Forcing a sweet smile onto his small face, Flowey's petals perked up and he raised his leaves with a little wiggle.

"Golly, that's right! You must be the smart one!" Ven immediately scowled, showing off sharp fangs and his fingers curling, tightening and loosening into a fist. Frisk's hands began moving as they apologized for Flowey's attitude, and he wasn't really watching, but the words 'grouchy gardenia' came across loud and clear, and he turned to the human child with a hiss. Monster Kid all but fell backwards as he leaned away from the flower and it took him a few seconds of rolling to get sat back up again.

"Whatever, just don't start any shit, got it? If you cause Frisk or Miss Lena any trouble, you're mulch." The bat-monster sent the flower a steady glare, pointedly ignoring Frisk's wide smile. Flowey snorted.

"What, you mean that human the smiley trashbag is with? Why should you care if I cause her trouble?" Silence was his answer, and he scoffed. "No, don't tell me _you're_ fond of her too!" A slight violet hue touched just above Ven's cheekbones as he sat, gritting his teeth and trying _not_ to tear apart the stupid mouthy little flower that was apparently Frisk's best friend. Flowey threw his leaves up into the air and groaned. "What is it with her anyway? Why do so many monsters seem to like her? She's nothing special- ow!" Frisk had reached out and bopped the little flower on the 'head', wagging their index finger at him with a small frown.

" _You don't say things like that about Auntie Lena!"_ they scolded, MK echoing this with an enthusiastic 'yeah', but the flower was too transfixed on what he'd just been told, his face scrunching up in disgust.

"You're telling me that she and the smiley trashbag are, eugh… _a thing?_ They're seriously _together?_ "

" _More than that. They're bonded."_

"WHAT?! I knew he had garbage tastes, but wo- ow! Hey, cut it out!" Flowey hissed and spat as Frisk stared them down, arms crossed firmly over their chest. "Fine, whatever! I can't promise anything, though." The human rolled their eyes and huffed a sigh, signing something to MK, but Ven had already checked out of the conversation. He didn't like this flower, and he didn't like how he talked about people…but if he was important to Frisk, then he could put up with it. He'd wanted to ask more about how she was doing, but with Flowey here…

He'd just ask Kupanda when they got home.

* * *

| **Brit** : I wasn't going to tell you until a little later but I bought you something. |  
| **Brit** : It's a present that I think you're reeeeeally gonna liiiiiiike~ |

| **Lena** : What? You didn't have to get me anything! What for? |

| **Brit** : Did your Gran raise you to question a gift? |  
| **Brit** : How does that saying go again? |  
| **Brit** : 'Don't lick a gift whore in the mouth' or something like that? |

| **Lena** : …Yeah, something like that. |  
| **Lena** : Well you really didn't have to… There's nothing that I need. |

| **Brit** : I know I didn't need to, but I wanted to. Gotta spoil my bae. |

| **Lena** : Don't use the word bae. |

| **Brit** : Anyway it should be arriving in the mail by today. I had it sent to your apartment. |

| **Lena** : Thank you, really. I appreciate it. |

| **Brit** : Ayy don't worry about it. Make sure you text me to let me know it gets there, though, okay? |

| **Lena** : I will, thank you! I have to go for now. Tell the kids I love them! |  
| **Lena** : And I love you too. |

| **Brit** : Dude that's hella homosexual. |

| **Lena** : Shut up. (heart) |

| **Brit** : (heart) |

* * *

| **Lena** : I hate you so much. |

| **Brit** : I take it you got my little gift? |

Lena wanted to cry. Her face was burning from the inside out with the intensity of her blush, her freckles all but blurred from sight, and she suddenly wished that she'd never answered the door at all. The open box that lay in front of her was so unassuming, so inconspicuous, so _innocent_ , it never looked like it would have contained what it did. She supposed that explained the delivery-person's odd behavior, their inability to meet her gaze.

| **Lena** : I'm going to kill you. |  
| **Lena** : How could you do this to me |

| **Brit** : Hey, that's no way to thank a friend who just bought you a gift! |

Groaning, Lena shoved the box away from her, practically jumping out of her seat when she heard it begin to rattle across the table rather loudly. Her cheeks burned and her thumbs punched across the touchscreen keyboard on her phone.

| **Lena** : What kind of friend buys someone a sex toy?! |

She could practically _hear_ her friend's laughter from across town. She tried to think positively. At least she hadn't been dragged out of the house to guy to a store and buy it. She'd have to destroy the box so that nobody knew. _'Nobody must know…'_ Her phone was set down so she could grab the migrating box, fumbling inside to grab what looked like a remote and hitting the power button. Already her phone was dinging with message notifications and she sighed loudly.

| **Brit** : What? I'm just looking out for you. |  
| **Brit** : If you don't want it, send it back my way! I can always add to the collection. |  
| **Brit** : I even custom ordered it and made it blue. |

That she did, Lena couldn't help but notice, and even though it wasn't quite the right shade of cyan, it was still close enough that… She shuddered and tore her eyes away from the box and its contents, glaring at her phone.

| **Lena** : Okay, fine. You went to all this effort, I can't possibly turn it away… |

| **Brit** : :) |

| **Lena** : No, shut up! I just don't want to hurt your feelings! |

| **Brit** : ;) |

| **Lena** : I gotta go. Text you later. |

She closed out of the messages and pressed the button on the side of her phone to shut off the screen. The instant it went black she set it screen-side down on the table, folding her arms next to it and laying her head on them with a sigh. Her best friend was a weirdo, but she always meant well, so her oddities could be overlooked. She only acted out of love, anyway. Glancing up, she curiously pulled the box closer to her, feeling her cheeks tingle with a blush as she glanced inside. Smooth and blue, translucent, the color of the sea…was it weird to think of a sex toy as 'pretty'? Probably. She hesitantly reached inside to pick it up, feeling the smooth silicone beneath her fingers. She bit her lip.

…It would be rude to turn down a gift, right?

* * *

 **[[ OKAY I'M SORRY FOR LEAVING IT THERE BUT IN MY DEFENSE IT'S 11PM AND I TOOK MY PILLS TWO HOURS AGO SO I'M STARTING TO GET SUPER SLEEPY AND THAT'S TOTALLY LEADING INTO SOMETHING SUPER GREAT OKAY I PROMISE JUST BEAR WITH ME**

 **God it feels so good to be able to say I updated... I keep imagining that you guys are unfollowing or whatever, or thinking that the update isn't worth the wait, and I feel really, really guilty for taking so long to update anymore. Life just sucks sometimes and not being able to do the things I love like write or art sucks and I want to do nothing more than be able to churn out fics as I'm able to think of them flawlessly and perfectly timed but that's not how life works so yeah. I'm sorry, but thank you to anyone who still stuck around through that month-long absence and is still here reading this. You guys are awesome.**

 **As usual, go follow me on tumblr (life-sans-sin dot tumblr dot com) and send me some asks, message me, whatever! I'm totally chill and hey, I take requests for doodles/drabbles...you got nothin' to lose!]]**


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